Nanoha: G Gear
by Person With Many Aliases
Summary: To protect their future, the fearless mages and their friends must battle and cast off the terrible chains of the past.
1. Kickstart My Heart

Paris burned.

Far, far out in the countryside and green outskirts of the city, sunrise came early in a red sky and a black fume that pillared into the air. The sacrifice of this early day was the sprawling Kiske estate, which flames was in the process of wholly consuming, shattering glass, collapsing stone, burning portrait memories, melting silverware, torching fine oak, and roasting away life entirely.

Ten minutes earlier, a young man of spry 16 years, handsomely French blond haired and blue eyed, had been sleeping soundly in his four-poster bed. Next thing he knew, clad in nothing more than sweat-streaked white linen, rushing down flame-lined halls, shouting.

"Mother! Mother, where are you!?"

This he screamed through the bright yellow flames that licked up everything throughout the estate, hoping to ascertain the fate of that which was most dear to him. A portion of the roofing collapsed, forcing to narrowly slide to a halt at the sudden dead-end, shielding his face from singeing sparks.

He heard a familiar woman's voice holler his name down another passageway. He immediately rushed after, each shouting at the other to keep their positions in checked.

He slammed through a pair of heavy double doors that led into what was normally his father's study, though it appeared that the lights that illuminated the circular chamber containing the heavy oak desk in the center and countless glass cases of memorabilia were out. The only things he could properly were faint shapes and silhouettes eked out by the flames behind him, of which included an older woman clad in little more than a satin nightgown.

"Mother!"

The young man embraced his parent quickly before fiercely ordering.

"We have to get out of here!"

"No, my son! There is something you must do first! It relates to your training as a magus!"

His body stilled in shock. The Kiske line was always intertwined with swords and sorcery, but the latter was a fiercely kept secret, known only by the few that practiced those ancient arts themselves.

"I knew this fire was strange... but an attack? But the Mage Association prevents that-"

His mother interrupted sternly, having no time for naïve prattle, "There is more magic in this world than just the Mage Association!"

"Then what are they here for!?"

"The heirloom weapon! I just know it!"

He gritted his teeth in irritation, but decided, "We need to get you out first, mother!"

The woman threw her son's hands of her shoulders, "I can get myself out! My son, as the youngest in the family, and of age, you must protect the weapon first! It cannot fall into greedy hands! Especially those of a magus! You must find it and do whatever it takes to keep it away from them!"

"I'm not leaving you!"

She wouldn't have any of it, and began shoving her boy back into flames, "I can take care of itself, but the weapon cannot! Do this as the next knight! GO!"

And he found himself obeying, as per tradition. He dashed through the burning passages and flaming artworks and cindering roman columns. At the end of a hall, there should have been a pair of doors, but now it was just flaming wreckage he jumped over into the large hall that was was being as roasted as everything else in the mansion. Suits of armor blackened and coats of arms dissipated into ash.

None of this was paid no heed, compared to the vertical glass case in the center. Driven downward into the base by its white blade, the longsword was a bizarre design, with it's fat oval royal blue hilt and pommel, divided into two blue cylinders.

Leaving nothing to etiquette, the young man found a burned out heavy lump of wood, grabbed it with both hands and hurled it at the glass casing. Grabbing the handle of the weapon like some modern excalibur, he was somehow both surprised and not that it was metal cool to the touch, untainted by heat and flame.

Magic steel.

_I just need to get it out of here-_

The rubble surrounding the doors exploded, tossing debris over his head. He turned around to see the cause of the disturbance.

Past the flickering hot air, he could see little more than a smallish figure drowning in a large bone white cloak, hood poured over its face, leaving a lower jaw and a firm line of a mouth. In its petite hand, it held a long rod that ran into a rectangular double-edged blade, cogs and whirring machines running down the center, four lifeless yellow gems inlaid into the middle of the weapon longer than its weilder was tall, yet held with no effort.

"You," it said, "Hand over the Jinki."

"No!" The young man returned, grabbing the magic sword with both hands. His blue eyes narrowed at the impending.

_Just remember your training..._

The small attacker simply raised its blade into the air.

"Ataúd." She said to her weapon.

It replied, **"LANCERO DEL FOTÓN."**

And despite the orbs of crackling energy that collected above his attacker, the boy became a true knight in that instant he charged towards destruction, fueled not by courage, but by duty.

And Paris continued to burn, smoke rising into the night sky.

* * *

**Person With Many Aliases Presents:**

"**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha: G-Gear"**

**A Magical, Lyrical Adventure**

"**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha" series property of studio Seven Arcs**

**Original Characters and concepts property of author Person With Many Aliases**

* * *

**Duel One: Kickstart My Heart**

* * *

In Uminari City, sometime in the early morning, a cellphone haphazardly lying amongst the covers of the bed came to life, activating its alarm and waking its haggard owner. A feminine hand groped for the snooze button, though only succeeded in knocking the phone of the bed on its first try. The second time she managed to do it properly.

For Takamachi Nanoha, somethings changed, and some things looked like it would do its damnedest never to, even after 16 years of living, and seven of those as an official TSAB tactics instructor.

Before the mentioned trained warrior could return to the indulgent bliss of sleeping in longer, the phone jingled again, this time from a phone call. The magical girl since 3rd grade could easily guess who it was from.

"Myhhggh... Fate-chan... you know what time it is?"

"_It's nine in the morning, Nanoha. You sure are taking advantage of this holiday leave aren't you?"_

"I'm just trying to enjoy myself... haven't felt this comfortable in months. What in the world drove you to wake up this early when we just got here yesterday?"

"_I just have good habits."_

"Ha. Ha. Ha." Was the grumpy reply, before the bedraggled girl continued, "I wish you would have stayed over here..."

"_Sorry, but I had to see Mother and Arf-"_

"Don't worry about it..."

"_How about this? I'll come by Midori-ya later this afternoon, then we can go see how the city's changed while we were gone, together."_

"That'd be great, Fate-chan... I'll see you then."

"_Right! Don't spend the whole time 'till then sleeping."_

"Don't worry..." Was the last thing Nanoha said, before her eyes shut again.

It was a good two more hours later than Nanoha had reasonably cleaned herself up and propped her hair into what was quickly becoming her "classic" sideways ponytail. Entering the kitchen, she halloed her mother, of whom she was slowly looking more and more like.

"Ah, Nanoha-chan. You're awake. Is work that hard?"

The mage gave a little sheepish laugh before explaining, "Not hard... just long."

"Well, either way, Kyouya, Miyuki, and your father have already gone to Midori-ya. I made a little breakfast for you, though. You can catch up with them after."

"Thanks!"

As she chewed her way through her mother's amazing (as usual) scrambled eggs, her ears picked up on the international news that was plaing on the TV on the other end of the room.

"_...Continuing in a rash of bizarre fires breaking out in cities across the world, a small motel in Los Angeles was completely consumed by fires in the middle of the night. Strangely, reports show that all the cases have consistently shown signs of the fires being caused by electricity. The fires first began in Paris, and continued on through Europe, and into America on an obvious path. Authorities are under the assumption that the fires are being caused by a serial arsonist of some sort, and airport security has been tightened..."_

"Scary." Was all Nanoha could say, though somewhat casually due to the distance between her and the reports, "You think this arsonist would come to Japan? It's not far from America."

Takamachi Momoko gave a wifely giggle, "I'm sure that if this person ever came, our heroic magical girl will stop him, right?"

Nanoha's face caught fire.

Fate T. Harlaoun arrived within the Takamachi owned cafe not much past the time she allowed. Clad in a simple black dress that turned into class on her, she came cheerfully with a hello, a familiar petite red and orange pooch on a lead.

And of course, Nanoha was present and was lending a hand to running Midori-ya with uniform apron.

"Nanoha!"

"Fate-chan!"

And the two gathered each other's hands very happily, Arf's diminutive body yapping in place of her normal speech, given that a talking dog would be a very odd thing for the regular customers, as much as she wanted to. Nanoha turned to her father.

"Can I-"

"Take a break? No need to ask. Go talk with Fate."

"Thanks!"

And like that, the two girls filed themselves into a little booth, discussing everything under the sun, and possibly beyond it, as was the case of their missing 'Ace'.

"It's too bad Hayate-chan couldn't come with us." Nanoha sighed.

"You know she's on a Lost Logia case with her family at the moment?"

"Yeah... what was that world she was going to?"

"Aklumar. She's taking a ride on the _Lancelot_."

"I just hope we can have a proper get-together soon." The white mage eagerly wished, "When was the last time?"

"Last year, after that mission with that case."

Both of them also darkly thought of The Airport, but decided against bringing it up, though the cold flashing across their eyes was all that was needed. But enough of black humor.

"Fate-chan, how's Lindy and the others?"

"They're getting along well. Chrono is still very happy with Amy. Lindy however..."

"What?" Nanoha worriedly asked, mind already projecting possible issues. Fate noticed, giggled, and waved it off.

"It's nothing serious, I just was thinking how funny it is how she's dealing with her current desk job. She said she retired from active duty to get away from the excitement, but I think she's starting to want it again, now that she's seeing all the paperwork..."

Laughter. Bright blue eyes turned to the puppy-like familiar, "And have _you _ been taking care of Lindy as well?"

Arf eagerly nodded. Her master caught Nanoha's attention again.

"I heard from mother that they built some sort of ferry system while we were gone. You can go from one end of the city to the other by the bay now."

"I heard too! You want to try tonight?"

Fate smiled, "Dinner at six, and then we go?"

Nanoha returned a cheeky grin, "It's a date."

* * *

In the forests guarding Uminari City's borders from the hills on the other side of the wood, a white cloak, cowl, and dark staff tied to it, fluttered about, searching, seeking, and completely in futility. Just skimming the tips of the high pines, the figure craned her head in every direction, hoping to see signs of life below amongst the thick trees beyond the regular wildlife. But with every pass for the past half hour, no sign of the quarry turned up. Sighing, it swung back to a particular location, shyly trembling.

"Aaroniero Arleri-sama... I could not locate him. He's probably in the city by now." Came the feminine mumble.

White gloves rubbed at a bleach white surface as if it were a chin, and as if it itself were thinking

"Interesting. We did not expect him to be able to escape pursuit so continuously..."

She bowed deeply at the waist, "Aaroniero Arleri-sama! Forgive me! I failed you again! P-please! Give me one more chance! Ever since the first time I failed to capture the Jinki, I've been unable to live with myself, to not meet your expectations! If fail you this one more time, I'll see to it I personally-"

It laid its hands on her shoulders, stopping her immediately.

"Phoenix Entierro, our Phoenix Entierro. You push yourself too hard for our sakes. There is no need for these sorts of actions. We have all of eternity to try, and try again, until we have success."

"...Yes, Aaroniero Arleri-sama."

"Now, raise your head with pride and determination."

She did, eyes firm with dedication to a cause.

"Go into the city when the sun falls from the sky. Yours is a small body that attracts lesser attention compared to us. Seek out the Jinki and its wielder. We will wait here, in case you have need of us."

"Yes, Aaroniero Arleri-sama."

* * *

As he watched the foreigner swallow the last of the purchase from behind the cash register, Takamachi Kyouya quickly decided he had never seen a more hungry customer in his entire life. It was one thing for any customer, to eat a lot, but for one to eat an _entire _cake, without even _stopping_. Well, that was pretty impressive to say the least. Then again, wasn't there something about westerners being big eaters or something...?

"Thank you for the meal."

Then again, Kyouya was torn between whether the customer's bottomless stomach, or his near perfect (though a little too formal) command of Japanese was more intriguing.

"No problem at all!" Kyouya cheerfully returned to the blond, a man probably not much younger than himself, though he looked pretty independent, traveling alone with little more weather protection than his clothes and the tan overcoat he wore.

"Are you new here, mister?" Kyouya politely conversed.

The foreign mister looked up and down a bit, silent for a few seconds before answering, "I am just passing through. I am travelling."

"Really? That's cool."

"Do you know of any hotels here I can stay at until I go again?"

Kyouya thought about it for a while, before answering.

"Well, I don't know any in particular, but I do know most of them are on far side of here, in the downtown."

"Oh. Do you know of any fast transportation to reach the downtown?"

Midori-ya's waiter gave grin before shouting into the back kitchen, "Shinobu, doesn't that new boat go direct there?"

"Yeah."

Kyouya turned back to his interesting customer, "Well, there's this new ferry that opened up. It goes direct to the downtown by skirting the shoreline. The place where the ferry docks at's actually pretty far, but it's definitely faster and less expensive than taking a taxi or something. Even more if you take on of the later night ones."

"Thank you."

As the mister left, Kyouya noticed the man picking up a long package he didn't notice before, long and loosely wrapped in cloth.

Through all his years of training, Kyouya's eyes instinctively assigned the parcel the label of "sword", and he tended to trust that sort of training.

Then the next question was, what was that 'traveler' doing, carrying a sword around?

* * *

Dinner for Nanoha and Fate, needless to say, had been wonderful, delectable, and probably a dozen other such words regarding their dinner, even if it was a little on the cheap side in a little diner. But it was a girl's night out. Or a date, if you put it Nanoha's way.

As usual, the Tactical Instructor dressed in modest casual, and the Special Investigations Officer in classy black, and somewhere in between it all, a red round gem hung from Nanoha's neck, while a triangular inset yellow crystal remained in Fate's purse.

They talked about everything, past, present, and future. Dreams, aspirations, annoyances, all through dinner, and generally enjoying themselves. Holding hands happily, they asked for two tickets onto the new ferry. It was good since they arrived not long after nine, when the ticket prices were lower.

The transit ship was a majestic, if not somewhat commercial, spacious, double-decked white thing, modern with two airfoils, and decked out with carpeting, cushioned seats, naturally all of this a mass-produced deep blue hue, and outer decks.

The two mages managed to find an empty corner of the upper deck towards the aft of the ship, watching the boat pass by the glowing buildings next to the shore amidst the other people crowding about. But despite that, the wonderful night was enough to disregard their existence for just solely Nanoha and Fate, comfortably next to each other by the railings, the very best of friends.

"Though Arisa keeps saying about how she's waiting to the day we start sleeping in the same _bed_." Nanoha sighed, "She seems to keep liking to make those jokes..."

Fate laughed, "Hayate told me about that. She offered to through in an emperor sized bed if she ever gets the chance."

"Mou..."

Fate smiled at the half-hearted whine, and silence overtook the two as they took in the majesty of the cityscape they toured.

And they would have continued if people didn't suddenly start massing onto the deck, mashing the two girls into each other and bringing out flushes from both (though both were at a lost what _that_ meant).

Shouts and exclamations of shock and surprise, cameras flashing upward into the air.

"What's that!"

"Is that a person?"

"That's impossible! It's floating!"

Nanoha and Fate, in unison, craned up their heads in tandem with everyone else. Drifting down from the sky, arms folded, was a smallish figure wrapped in pitch white, cloak and armored dress fluttering around her surreality.

Nanoha's concerned face turned to her friend, now a mage of the TSAB.

_ Fate-chan! _

_ I know. Wait first, we need to know what she's after. _

_ It can't be anything good. _

_ I know... _

White heels clunked onto the lower deck, the figure completely unresponsive to the cameras and queries as she simply stood there, hood masking the upper half of her face, though her mouth was a single, professional line.

"Hey! Girl! How did you do that?"

"Who are you?"

"Is this some sort of show?"

The girl straightened her back and shouted onto the entire boat, "Ky Kiske! Reveal yourself! I know you're here! Surrender the Jinki!"

People looked around confused, as to who had such a strange name, what did he have to do with anything-

_ What's a Jinki? _ Fate and Nanoha frowned at each other, though they kept their question to themselves.

"Ky Kisked! I've followed you all the way here! You cannot run or hide forever! We will find you!"

Still nothing. The girl sighed, and reached for the long rod that hung above one shoulder. Holding the pole high above her, she spoke clearly.

"Put down a funeral dirge, Ataúd."

"**ACTIVADO, AMO."**

People scurried away as the rod exploded into light, energy throwing the girl's cloak about her still body, while magic machinery affixed itself around the staff. In moments, the large rectangular blade was come to life as she hefted it with a few testing swings. She called to it again.

"Start the countdown."

"**CONQUISTA DEL RELOJ."**

The gem centered gear closest to the handle began to lazily spin, yellow dully glowing as if lit by a aged, dim light. She shouted again to the crowd.

"Did you hear that! The moment the first gear on this Engine Device is activated, and you haven't shown yourself, I'm sinking this boat! Do you want to be responsible for these people? I know you're here, listening to me! Show yourself!"

People started to shift uneasily.

"Miss, are you joking?"

"Is this some sort of stunt?"

"Maybe we should be calling security..."

The girl was silent and waiting, holding her massive blade above her, awaiting the appointed time. The gear continued to pick up speed and light with every moment.

_ Fate! We're not waiting any more! _ Nanoha desperately though, reaching for her neck.

Fate's features darkened as she reached down for her purse, _ I know. _

But before the things like, "Raising Heart, please!" or "Bardiche, set up!" were shouted, a different voice called out.

"Stop!"

The two mages above the commotion stopped at merely their hands holding their silent devices, while people filed away, and a dusty looking western man approached the small girl. They apparently were aquianted with each other, as he merely glared at her.

"Leave them out of this."

"I will do whatever it takes to take that Jinki from you." She shot back harshly.

"...Everybody, step backwards." Ky Kiske managed to say. Everybody got the underly message, and quickly started to evacuate the deck, while those above continued to watch with morbid curiousity.

Ky reached for the wrapped object he held loosely in his left hand. The white girl blurred forward, massive Ataúd rising above her with both hands to crash down on the man. Gasping, Ky held up his concealed weapon with hand on either end.

Devices clashes, sending bolts of blue and yellow about everywhere. Nanoha and Fate looked on as the arcing bolts leapt onto the cloth, burning away Ky's weapon until the naked gleaming white edge was revealed, a sword unlike any on earth had every seen, save those who might have been somewhat acquainted with the history of magic.

"A device?" Nanoha couldn't help but visually dissect aloud, "But there's something wrong about it..."

Before the observation could continue, Ky grunted with effort before throwing the girl off, sending her stumbling back across the deck. The two regarded each other for an eternity, blades held aloft in ready stances.

Looking around nervously, Ky suddenly broke battle standards and rushed to the edge of the boat. Manipulating magic under his feet, Ky leapt and suddenly rushed through the air, glittering blue trailing and sonic circles behind him as he was launched towards the city.

"You're not escaping this time!" The girl hissed, and took to the air after him.

Two mages watched on, more and more horrified by the second. They looked at each other fiercely.

_ Nanoha! They're heading to the city! We can't let other people get caught in this! _

_ You go chase them and try to break this up! I'll try to set up a field spell as fast as possible and join you! _

The girls rushed back inside the ship, and managed to find an empty bathroom. It was horribly awkward procedure, but it had to be done in this situation where there were so many mundane witnesses.

Nanoha grabbed her necklace, "Raising Heart!"

"_YES, MY MASTER."_

Fate unearthed her hand held jewel, "Bardiche!"

"_SIR."_

A shout in unison.

"SET UP!"

* * *

What was asked was a for a short time of peace, but what visits us instead are new battles, against new enemies. But despite the unknown odds, we move forward to meet the infinite, unknown sky.

**Duel Two: Holy Wars**

Magicians, Knights, Ghosts, brace yourselves against the coming tide...

**LET'S ROCK!**

* * *

A/N: Short chapter, by my standards (5000+). I'll see if I can get more out next time. Until then.


	2. Holy Wars

Though Ky Kiske was versed in the annals of magic and wizardry, at the end of the day he was still a knight, more at ease with a blade than a wand. It just so happened his sword was an imbued conductor for lightning magic, as was signified by the blue bolts that intermittently jumped across the white steel. So much more the better.

The reason why Ky repeated this tirade to himself, was to remind himself that being on the ground, with both feet planted firmly in the soil was where he was best. And since he was in a middle of an "Air Dash", as he called it, floating over the city night skyline-

"Ataúd!"

"**MACHACARÁ!"**

-and with that white girl bearing down on the young knight, with her hulking four-eyed, blade-machine, he needed to find a roof _real fast._

* * *

**Duel Two: Holy Wars**

* * *

Phoenix Entierro felt something shift in the air. Looking around, her shadow concealed eyes saw the air gain a slightly warped texture, pinkish in some places even, while the streets below began to empty of people and vehicles. She instantly recognized it for what it was.

"A field, huh?"

It told her a little of the impending situation. One, she wasn't alone with her quarry, two, that it was either a Belka knight or a Midchilda mage, three, it was a fair chance that it was a Mid-wielding dog from the TSAB, judging from the way magic was being wasted on stupid things like protecting civilians from collateral damage or knowledge of magic.

A complication of the situation, she could either try to obtain the Jinki before this new interference got truly in the way, or she could meet this threat head-on before pursuing the knight.

_I won't let that Jinki user get away again! I've made an embarrassment of Aaroniero Arleri-sama's plans enough times already. Plus, it's better to finish the job throughly. He's tired and I know his moves, more than I can say about this new annoyance._

Seeing the man in question descend onto a roof of a tall complex, Phoenix dove in, shouting to her device.

"**LANCERO DEL FOTÓN!"** it shouted, and trailing behind Phoenix, a group of sparking yellow spheres grew to life, raring to be released.

Down below, gravel crunching under his feet, Ky raised his family blade, eye's narrowing in expectation.

_I have to subdue her somehow, but I can't hurt her... she's just a child..._

Drawing his sword back around his waist with one hand, Ky charged latent magic into the sword, the whole blade becoming alight with florescent blue and white, prepared to fire his first 'spell', as it were.

"Stun... EDGE!"

The knight swung his sword out into the empty air between him and the enclosing Phoenix, the lightning magic doing the rest, as electricity leapt off the sword and rocketed through the air a directed fat bolt of lightning.

Phoenix slowed just the slightest to right her body, throwing Ataúd in front of her like general's cracking whip with an army of her own lightning.

"Fire!"

The yellow and blue armies met in mid air, smaller bolts colliding with the larger crackling missile, until there was nothing but a concussive crash, and smoke blowing everywhere, masking either from each other. In those moments, Ky craned his head forward, squinting, trying to see the fruits of his labour.

Ataúd's girth came rocketing out of the smog. Gasping, Ky narrowly dived out of the way as the device crashed into the ground, kicking up gravel and large chunks of concrete that should have been better placed in the floor of the roof. Not long after, the heels of Phoenix Entierro's white leather boots landed beside the handle of her device. As she idly grasped it, Ky threw himself onto one knee, both hands on his blade and pointed at Phoenix. She looked at him almost disparagingly.

"I can't believe how inefficient the Jinki are. All that magic thrown out at once... all that wasted magic being fed to Ataúd."

Ky's head jerked visibly at the news. _That machine... it eats magic?!_

In fact he could almost feel it, come to think of it. Minute ports nestled away among the gears and whirring things, hissing as it vacuumed something out of the air...

Phoenix's visible mouth curved on one side, "Ataúd, first gear."

"**RESURRECCIÓN!"**

The first gem nearest to the handle, now once a lively glow, turned into a bright beacon, accompanied by the high-pitched of it spinning about and about rapidly. Bringing her device back like a batter, Phoenix prodded it for its next attack..

"**LANCERO DEL FOTÓN: RESUCITADO!"**

Phoenix swung Ataúd, and instantly a fresh volley of magically contained lightning smashed into Ky, who only managed to bring his blade off to ward off the attack, though it flung him clear of the roof. Swirling around in the biting air, Ky helplessly free-fell between the glass walls of two office complexes, a dot of a plaza below denoting where he'd end up being street pizza if he didn't act fast.

Out of the corner of his vision, Ky saw white swoop in on him. Twisting around as best as he could, he brought himself to face his oncoming attacker.

Sword clashed against device. Ky spun head over heels, while Phoenix rocketed past, faster than before, swinging around in the distance to dash at the mostly-helpless knight again. This time, she stopped right in front of the young man, only to bring the large flat of her blade into Ky, and slamming him against the side of the building. Ky grunted as he felt the back of his jacket screaming and squelching against the smooth glass panes, all the while he tried to pry Ataúd's frame away, only to be pressed in even further. Glass began to crack as he was dragged downwards, his body digging a shallow trench in the building wall.

Growling with effort, Ky glared at the girl, and a large shock traveled from Ky's sword to Phoenix through the joined steel. The girl screamed for a instant, falling away and disappearing upward out of Ky's vision. With this short moment of peace, and the ground just meters below, Ky threw magic under him frantically, and leapt upwards with another Air Dash. What was a death drop from dozens of stories above became something more like a fall from a high tree, and Ky landed with as much lack of grace, slamming onto his back with a hearty grunt and a throaty cough.

With several more hacking wheezes, Ky managed to reach his feet again.

Yellow light grew under his feet. He looked up.

"**ROCIADA DEL RELÁMPAGO****: RESUCITADO**

With that, Ky jumped out of the way before a giant column of amber lightning exploded the ground he was on before. Out of the smoke, Phoenix came lunging with her heavy device, and the two locked blades with sparks of heated blades and flying magic. Ky swayed out of the way of heavy swing from the girl, each leaving a groaning "fwump" that gave the knight enough audible reason why not to get touched by any physical attack. Phoenix, though was more than happy enough to bring up the broadside of her blade in defense at any stinging strike that stabbed at her.

Leaping into the air over a horizontal slash, Phoenix Entierro planted both her feet onto the underside of her device, arms wrapped around the inverted handle, and dropped downwards, hoping to crush Ky with the weight of her Ataúd. Meeting this blow, Ky leapt up, sword leading, voice shouting.

"Vapor Thrust!"

Forces collided, and magic exploded. Out of it all, Ky came tumbling out into the streets. Not far behind, Phoenix tsked, her device balanced across one shoulder.

"This constant running of yours is pointless. No one is here to help you, yet you keep running to the ends of this world. We're not even here for you, just the Jinki. All you have to do is let it go."

"This coming from a person who burns my home, threatens innocents, and attacks me without provocation!" Ky harshly shot back, and continued to hold his blade, though fatigue began to dog at his steps. Unlike Phoenix, he had taken many more severe blows. Phoenix harrumphed, before holding Ataúd with both hands.

"Fight as you please, but every inkling of magic you throw into the air only makes Ataúd stronger."

Ky refused to answer. Phoenix decided to fill the void with the rush of her own body.

"_ACCEL SHOT."_

A pink sphere of magic crashed into the ground, interfering with the impending battle. Phoenix hissed, but jumped backwards into the air defensively.

As for Ky, he choked as he saw more two more people descend from the sky, armed with long "Engine Devices" or whatever Phoenix took to calling "Magic Machines With Gems In Them That Shoot Giant Laser Beams".

The mages in black and white stopped in the air directly between Phoenix and Ky, the one in black saying something that she had obviously practiced for years on end.

"I am Fate Harlaoun of the Time Space Administration Bureau. Both of you are under arrest for extreme disturbance of the peace. If you do not resist, you will have a chance to plead in your own defense. If you consent, lay down you devices now."

Ky bit down as his heart was rendered in two. Part of him wanted to honorably abide by Justice. He had erred in this way, true, and it would only be right of him to surrender peaceably.

But they were also device users. Like those others who had been chasing him doggedly for weeks. For all he knew, this could be a complicated ruse to take the blade he had been charged to protect while he was unsuspecting.

Phoenix, on the other hand, her reactions, Nanoha and Fate had never expected. There was a gasp. Then a hitched breath, which began to continue, increasing in speed, until the girl sounded like she was strangled and fighting for breath.

"Who...who are you...?" She managed to whimper to the blond.

Fate could only frown and repeat her name. Phoenix gave a cry of despair and leaned over heavily, as if punched in the stomach, gasping for breath rapidly, while beads of sweat could be visibly seen.

"No... no... this isn't possible... no... no... I can't... this isn't..."

Phoenix staggered in the air, drunkenly waving her free arm ahead of her, as if trying to wave the two mages away from existence like a bad dream. Cold sweat continued to fall.

Nanoha, unable to bear the sight of this, tried to reach forward, "Are you alright-"

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

"**LANCERO DEL FOTÓN: RESUCITADO."**

Everything around the two mages exploded. The TSAB mages merely coughed a bit from the dust, while Protection EX and Defenser Plus emanated from either Raising Heart or Bardiche, magical defenses that successfully warded off the blows.

"N-Nanoha? Are you alright?"

"Yeah... It was just a little sudden, that's all. Raising Heart, you see either of them?"

The red core glowed, _"THEY ARE MAKING DISTANCE OF ESCAPE."_

Those words caused either to jerk their eyes to where they saw the white girl or the westerner last. Indeed, both Ky and Phoenix were not to be found, though a narrow alleyway behind them provided an obvious hypothesis of where he disappeared to, while a white figure was shrinking into the sky.

"But why did he run?" Nanoha groaned.

"He's probably scared. I'll go get him. You try and catch up with the mage."

"Be careful, Fate."

"You too."

* * *

Far away from the city, what Phoenix called Aaroniero Arleri stood stiffly, awaiting everything and expecting nothing. Then he heard Phoenix's strangled, fearful voice reverberate across his mind.

_(Aaroniero-sama! Save me!)_

He shifted uneasily. He never heard this sort of tone before from her.

_(Calmness. What has happened?)_

_(She... she... mages... I... what's going on... how is it... how come... SAVE ME!)_

Phoenix's panicked voice disappeared at that, forcing more worry into his body as he arose from the ground. He looked into the sky.

_(Kuma Oso. Hear us.)_

_(Yes?)_

_(Something has happened to Phoenix Entierro. She mentions mages and we assume she is being chased away from her hunt. We are about to assist her, go and pick up Phoenix's task)_

_(You're fine by yourself?)_

_(Yes. Do as we ask.)_

_(I'm gone.)_

* * *

Yellow and Pink chased each other across the empty skyscrapers of Uminari City, trading salvos of magic missiles.

"G-GO AWAY!" Phoenix roared, as she unleashed spell upon spell. Nanoha was coolly silent, and offered no retort as she avoided and defended against yellow magic. Harried to no end and hysterical, Phoenix hissed to her device.

"Ataúd! Get rid of her! NOW!"

"**SÍ AMO!"**

Immediately, yellow magic sigils grew under Phoenix Entierro's feet, formed as pair of rings of small circles, one concentrically inside the other, symbols etched about the pattern.

Nanoha stopped at the sight of the gathering spell. _I thought so. It's another completely foreign magic system._

Bands of runes gathered around Phoenix's arm, which she thrust at Nanoha, Ataúd shrilling.

"**SMASHER DEL TRUENO: RESUCITADO."**

The lightning siege spell, while it made Nanoha immediately evoke images of the early days she met Fate, was easily larger and faster. The thick stream of energy washed over the mage and crashed into a building side, exploding smoke everywhere.

Phoenix pants slowed and evened as she death-glared the smoking building, fervor leaving her.

_Scratch one... I need to get out of here._

Phoenix made to turn and leave the crater, when something caught her ankle. Gasping, she looked down to see a pink band firmly wrapped about the troubled limb.

"Bind!? That means..."

The bleach white child looked back at the building. A circling Midchilda sigil appeared from the passing dust, large enough to completely shield Nanoha on the other side. Phoenix choked.

_She threw something like that up that fast and managed to completely defend my attack!? _"LET GO OF ME, YOU FREAK!" Phoenix screamed, and swung back her device wildly to unleash another attack.

"_RESTRICT LOCK."_

Arms stopped in mid-motion as more binds wrapped about Phoenix's remaining limbs, completely entrapping her.

"_MASTER. MAINTAINING BIND."_

"Thank you, Raising Heart." Nanoha smiled to her device before she lowered it to her side. She drifted forward toward the trapped figure, who was shivering and hoarsely gasping, as if the stress of being tied down was too much for her.

"Don't try to struggle!" Nanoha tried to plead, though it came off rather ironically, given their positions, "You've already been caught. If you give up now-"

"I won't... I won't... I don't want to see her... how is she here..."

"Who? Fate?"

The girl visibly shook from the sound of the name, "Aaroniero Arleri-sama... save me..."

Nanoha's features darkened at the name, "Aaroniero...?"

Then suddenly something behind her spoke.

"We are here."

_Wha-!?_

Nanoha swung around, shocked, only to find a bony, long, white hand grip her face, smooth fabric pressed against her skin.

Aaroniero Arleri pulled Nanoha back, before pitching her full force into the roof of a nearby building. She slid for meters, crashing through vent grates and railings ungracefully. He turned to his trapped comrade.

"You are unwell? You were in distress when we heard you."

"I-I'm fine now."

"Is that so?"

He snapped his fingers, and the pink bonds broke away into nothingness. Meanwhile, Nanoha kicked away the last of the debris that had fallen on her, and stood to face... _whatever_ it was that had just thrown her.

The creature towered over her easily, her last vision before she was thrown only of his vast white expanse of his chest. Like Phoenix, the dominating hue of his entirely covered body was white. The white frilling coat with high collar that fluttered behind him, ruffs on the shoulders and cuffs, white robes that stretched across the tall, stocky body, a single thick black line running down the center as the only difference in color, white gloves aristocratically adorning hands, black boots...

It had no head.

Rather, where a head should have been, a babelic mask shielded it all away, lengthier than any head would normally be, the lacquer surface completely wrapped about the head area as to completely mask any idea what would be underneath. The bottom of the mask tapered in a stylized beak, and two columns of four holes each marked the face of the mask, though only a dark void could be seen beyond.

"An accomplice..." Nanoha darkly muttered. Neither of the two white beings paid her any attention.

"Kuma Oso is tracking the Jinki user in your lieu. Go and reconvene with him."

"But... the mages..." Phoenix feebly whined.

Aaroniero's bony mask shifted so it looked at the mage on the roof that was carefully glaring them.

"Is she the cause of your troubles?"

"No... the other one..."

"How many?"

"Just the two."

"We see. Go to Kuma Oso and tell him to handle that one. I will occupy this one."

"But..."

"Yes?"

"...Nothing, Aaroniero Arleri-sama. Bring us victory..."

"...For it is the will of Espada." Aaroniero finished, and Phoenix slipped away, leaving only Nanoha.

"Who are you people?" She asked, pointing her device at the tall being in the sky.

He reached inside his coat, speaking clearly and coolly, "We are Aaroniero Arleri. An Engrajei Ghost. Uncatchable, untraceable, undefeated."

Nanoha gripped Raising Heart, ordering, "Cartridge Load!"

"_LOAD CARTIDGE."_

The gold slide on Raising Heart jumped back, allowing an empty shell to fly out.

Aaroniero Arleri's tone of voice sounded like it was trying to sneer, "Magic-boosting Belka machinery on a magic-wasting Midchilda system... how onerous."

His white hand pulled free a rosary that was wrapped around it, four distinctive white beads among the others.

"Feast and be hungry, Glotonería."

"**VIVO, REY."**

The string of beads broke apart into it's true form, cylindrical sections joining together until Aaroniero spun about the thick stem of a spear, four round white gems placed along the top of the shaft at intervals, long tassels draped from underneath the spearhead.

"Are you prepared, Bureau dog?"

"_DIVINE BUSTER."_

* * *

Ky squirmed his way between the alleys between the smaller shops, though where he was going he wasn't sure. He hadn't seen any other people at this point, and he could easily guess that the aura filling the area was on account of one device users, so it wouldn't be coming down unless the caster dropped the spell.

_The only question is why they would cast it? The last couple of times, they didn't really care about witnesses or anything like that... Could it be the work of those two girls? Maybe I should surrender to them..._

But even as he continued to think this, Ky remained within the deep and narrow alleys, where he presumed an aerial entrance would be impossible. Continuing on, the knight errant passed one alleyway that opened out into the streets.

A hiss of mechanical respiration. Ky froze, and turned to look at the sound of the source.

A man in white stood at the entrance. This one wasn't any less outlandish than the others, dressed in a traditional kimono-hakama-obi set, all of the same color that Ky was starting to get a little _sick_ of seeing. Firm, toned arms were folded inside the shirt, leaving a faint bulge on the cloth at the stomach where they were settled behind. Bare feet wore black lacquer geta sandals that were firmly entrenched into the ground. Where the head should have been, a bulging helmet completely encapsulated that area, shaped into a white-

_WHAT!?_

-teddy bear head, with goggling, bulging eyes, an outstretched snout with a down turned line of a pout, and little ears at the top. It continued to inhale and exhale audibly, the sounds of machine assisted breaths.

The two stood there for several seconds, Ky unsure what was about to happen.

The teddy bear headed man's arms shoved themselves out through the sleeves of the kimono, one hand with a rosary wrapped about it, four of its beads navy blue.

"Crush the East and the West, Dos Colmillos."

"**EN LÍNEA, SEÑOR."**

What came into his hands, though were a pair of thick katanas, molded black grips of handles that were unusually long for a normally two-handed sword. At the end of each handle were a pair of navy blue gems. Running back and forth across the flat of each blade was a blue dot of LCD like some scanning eye.

With all that said, Kuma Oso crossed his blades in front of him and charged at Ky. The young man choked at the sight of the bull charge, and instinctively ran for it, narrowly dodging a downward double slashed that crushed the wall that was behind him. Ky rushed away as much as he could, though trash cans and and other refuse lay in his way, hampering him. Kuma, however, was an irresistible force, that bulldozed through everything with masterful slashes, and as he closed in, the ghost did a scissor stroke at Ky's back. What was hit though, was empty air, as a trail of an Air Dash threw the knight up into the sky and toward another empty roof. Even then, he knew he was not safe, and he ran away several feet, before swirling around, sword raised as he stared down the edge of the roof that would soon have a teddy bear with blade-strapped kimonos rushing over the top.

"_HAKEN FORM."_

Ky visibly jerked away as he found an magic-made edge of a scythe burst into existence beside him. Attached to such a device was the woman in black he caught a glimpse of before.

"Don't worry. I'm on your side." She simply said, her own face firmly pointed at the roof edge.

Ky snorted, "Really? And what makes you think I can trust you?"

"Because I'm placing my trust in you first, that you'll back me up when that enemy mage comes into view."

That answer had the knight tied down verbally, before he just sighed, and turned his blade parallel with the woman's device.

"I can argue that at the moment, since we're about the fight."

She smiled, "Right. I'm Fate."

"I heard. Ky."

"Right."

"**DIVISORIA SANGRIENTA."**

The portion of the building in front of them decided to completely explode right then. Fate and Ky grunted and covered their eyes from the rush of wind, but cleared their vision in time to see Kuma Oso floating high into the air amongst large pieces of concrete debris that were also suspended in the air. In a blur and a throaty roar, the bottom of Kuma's heavy wood sandals slammed against several heavy chunks, sending them rocketing towards the duo.

Ky backed away, eyes widened. Fate raised her arm, her own eyes narrowing in determination. A wide round shield sprang to life, and the chunks of rock pulverized harmlessly.

Next came Dos Colmillos, attack never letting up. Fate grunted, but bore the weight of attack bravely.

Kuma's dull gaze belied a growl, "Bite right in, Dos Colmillos! Eat her shield!"

"**ABSORCIÓN."**

With a high pitch whine of spinning machinery, the two katanas sunk into the great yellow defense.

Fate jerked back, "What the-!?"

* * *

Weakened and deprived of magic, the shield shattered, and Aaroniero Arleri's spear, Glotonería, shot through the air, narrowly missing Nanoha's face as she twisted to the side to dodge the narrow slash. Breaking away, Nanoha raced through the air, Aaroniero not far behind, though enough that Nanoha was able to swing around, Raising Heart throwing out a large Divine Buster. Rather than meet it head on, the tall ghost swung around upside down over the top of the beam. Glotonería's edge skittered across the stream of attack magic, sizable beads of the energy being drawn inside the topmost gem of the Engine Device.

"Glotonería, gear one."

"**RESURRECCIÓN."**

The blade atop Glotonería loudly slammed open into three, a spear now become a trident. With one white gem awake and whirring wildly, Aaroniero slashed away at Nanoha, who continued to back away.

"With your over-reliance on shooting magics, you cannot defeat us. We will dodge and dodge and keep stealing your strength until we have all of it, and you, nothing."

Nanoha was panting, indeed. The battle was starting to stretch itself out, and her options had so far been coming up with nil. The ghost merely kept dodging everything she threw with mechanical precision, and with the activation of that 'gear' it seemed he was only going to get stronger and faster.

Despite that, the mage only gripped her Raising Heart and pointed it again, empty cartridges flying from the Raising Heart's slide.

"Raising Heart!"

"_ACCEL SHOOTER."_

"Glotonería."

"**FLECHA MAJESTUOSA: RESUCITADO."**

A pink swarm of spheres arrayed against a white mass of blades.

"Shoot!"

"Away."

And the two armies clashed, and exploded. But out of their midst, several more rounds of majestic arrows shot out at Nanoha, who was forced to bring up another shield. With that, Aaroniero took the oppurtunity to rush in and break through and again narrowly miss cutting Nanoha's body, though continuing to steal more magic from her.

Here, she realized.

_I'm on a slow losing battle. He's right. He can do this all day, but I can't._

Continuing to battle, Nanoha quickly thought to her friend.

_(Fate! How are things on your part?)_

_(I'm barely managing, thanks to Ky. You?)_

_(I can' t keep up with him! Fate, we're losing sight of what we're here to do. We need to get out of here with Ky!)_

_(That's the best move for now. Can you retreat?)_

_(If I can distract him, maybe!)_

* * *

Kuma, though managing remarkably well, had his reservations about the unfolding events, and his report to Aaroniero held as much opinion.

_(Aaroniero! Where the hell is Phoenix? I can't contain the two of them at this rate!)_

_(There is no way someone as fast as her would not have arrived by now.)_

_(Then she's so freaked out, she's went AWOL.)_

_(Are these mages so distressing?)_

_(I'd say, yes, for her. I'll tell you later.)_

_(Very well. Do what you can. Waste magic on a bind if you must.)_

Fate backed away suddenly, dragging Ky with her, Bardiche protectively held ahead of her. Kuma's mechanical breaths turned into a sneer, as he fell back into a stance, one of the gem cores on his device already in a brilliant light.

"Trying to run away? What makes you think you can outrun a ghost?"

"The simplest way. Bardiche."

"_THUNDER BLADE."_

From the sky, dozens of blades made of lightning magic descended upon Kuma Oso. With another contemptuous snort, Kuma flung Dos Colmillos around him in a flurry, thunder blades bouncing off his speedy parries, until all the attacks were dug into the ground around the bear-headed ghost, with not a single scratch upon him.

"Not much of a distraction now, was it?"

Fate merely gave a wry smirk, before shouting, "Break!"

All the blades began to brighten, magic shifting uncontrollably. Kuma choked.

The roof exploded.

At the bottom, Kuma crashed to the earth, before quickly rising, blades protectively raised. The only thing that met him was silence.

"...Damn!"

* * *

Nanoha continued to trade fire with Aaroniero, though a plan was quickly formulating.

_The pattern's becoming obvious. I've only got one chance at this-_

Nanoha's thoughts were cut short as Glotonería bit into Raising Heart's automatic Protection EX. Pressing forward, Aaroniero Arleri continued to slowly absorb through Nanoha's defensive barrier, the blade of his spear slowly serrating through. All the while, the white mage grunted as she tried to maintain the sole thing that kept a blade from entering her face.

"This is the end, Bureau dog." Aaroniero simply stated.

"Don't... say things... that haven't happened yet!" Nanoha shot back.

"_BARRIER BURST."_

Energy infused itself explosively at the point of contention, where blade met shield. In moments, an explosion consumed everything in a chaotic mess of noise and smoke. There was a lull, before the magic infused smog was quickly sucked away into Glotonería, leaving nothing but Aaroniero Arlier, empty air...

...and more empty air. The ghost twisted about several times, but it was true. Nothing else was here.

_(Kuma. Status report.)_

_(They got away.)_

_(So did ours. They coordinated a retreat.)_

Aaroniero looked into the sky, which was beginning to lose its shade of encompassing pink.

_(The field surrounding the area has even been dropped. They are gone.)_

_(Damnit. Where is Phoenix?)_

_(Most likely returned to Catedral. Let us follow her example. There is no more need to be here.)_

_(But...)_

_(This Jinki has been lost to us, for now. Let us go.)_

_(...Fine.)_

* * *

In an empty park, Ky was for the most part, unceremoniously released onto the ground, though as gently as possible on Fate's part.

"I think we're safe." She decided.

Ky raised drew his blade again, pointed at her, and retorted in awkward Japanese, "Good. Because I still do not trust you."

Fate sighed, "Really, I'm part of the TSAB, we can help-"

"I only know that you all use strange machines. Your opinion is only as good as theirs."

"Fate-chan!"

Nanoha dropped from the sky. Ky was now swinging his sword point between a black witch and a white devil, unsure which was more dangerous at this point.

"He won't trust us." Fate simply said.

"Then... what are we supposed to do?" Nanoha helplessly asked.

Thump.

The two mages turned in Ky's direction. All they saw was an unconscious mess on the ground.

"... He must be... tired." Nanoha managed to lamely put it after a while.

Fate shrugged, "I guess... he solved our problem for us."

"We better get him somewhere safe. Is my place closer, or is yours?"

"I think yours is."

"Right..."

Barrier Jacket's dissolved, and two tired girls dragged an unconscious man home. Some how, saying they had a "wild night" to Nanoha's parents didn't sound advisable.

* * *

A new mystery, a race against time, things just get more confusing, but in the midst of it all, we get to meet a new friend.

**Duel Three: Ride The Lightning**

This sword, this Jinki, it is...

**LET'S ROCK!**


	3. Ride The Lightning

"_And now for our headline. Just a few hours ago, there were eyewitness accounts of a "flying girl" that landed upon one of the new Uminari Ferries that was running the late-night route. She apparently threatened passengers, searching for a "Kai Kisku". A foreigner approached the girl, and a fight broke out, until eyewitnesses claim they proceeded to fly away from the boat into the city, though there has been no sighting of them since. Police Investigators are currently in the process of analyzing this bizarre situation..."_

Whatever the twelve o'clock new anchorman said, it did little to distract Takamachi Momoko from walking a trench into the living room floor. Her husband attempted what the man on the box could not, nonchalantly leading from the couch. The other two children of the household were happily asleep, sharing the same attitude of their father.

"Momoko, there's no need to worry about Nanoha or her friend. We both know she's more than capable of taking care of herself-"

"I know! But this is still something I'm not used to! She might be fighting out there! She might be hurt! Fate-chan might be hurt! Oh, I hate when I don't know what's happening."

"Momoko-"

The sound of lock latches snapping open. Momoko teleported in to the front steps, though rather by sheer motherly instinct than anything related to magic.

"Nanoha! I was so worried about you-"

The gentle Takamachi matriarch was met with her youngest daughter's backside.

"Fate-chan! I've got his shoulders! You have to lift his legs! Ready? One-two-AH!"

Something tripped on something, and sent all three(?) of them tumbling into a mess in front of the surprised Momoko.

"Sorry, Nanoha! I must have not seen a step..." Fate apologized, which was quickly met with a dissuasion about feeling such from her friend.

"Nanoha... who's he?" Shiro asked, joining his wife, and pointed at the motionless blonde man that was sandwiched between Fate, who had fallen atop him trying to carry his legs, and Nanoha, where he was nestled peacefully in her lap.

"And why are you're clothes all rumpled like that?" Momoko asked, the tone sounding like an execution axe whetting on a stone.

Nanoha struggled to answer, "Ah, well... er... we had a bit of a wild night-"

"Nanoha! I thought we agreed not to put it that way!" Fate spluttered.

"Ah! Sorry!"

"_What was that you said...?"_ Disturbing parental voices.

"W-well! I mean... a lot of things happened and-"

"Takamachi Nanoha... I think I need to hear an explanation from you about you idea of "Girl's Night Out"." Momoko said, eyes gleaming.

Cold sweat fell from the two TSAB mages. This was one battle they could not win.

* * *

**Duel Three: Ride The Lightning**

* * *

Sunlight poured out through a window finally at just the right angle into Ky's face. Closed eyes clenched in annoyance before opening wide to let tired, dazed blue eyes take in the situation.

He sat up and looked about the room. A sparsely decorated small room, with a desk and a shelf for posterity's sake, but it looked like it really was nothing more than a place for an overnight guest.

"Where am I...?"

Ky wasn't sure exactly. Last he could recall was him pointing his blade to the two quietly debating magic-machine using girls when the ground suddenly attacked him and himself passing out from the sudden ambush.

Looking down, he found himself still wearing his wrinkled old clothes, save the tan coat that was nowhere to be found. On the desk was a fresh change of clothes, along with his sword, which lied on its side patiently for its master.

Well if he was being held prisoner, they were doing a pretty bang-up job at making him feel welcome. Despite his consternations at the situation at hand, the knight shrugged his clothes of in favor of the cleaner, softer, cotton. Grabbing the family sword and keeping it close at hand, Ky left the room.

"Tired..." Nanoha half-consciously mumbled as she stared at the space in front of her breakfast, drool leaking from one side of her mouth.

"I said you should have had the bed, but you kept on insisting I share with you, even if it was so small..." Fate gently chided, apparently awake, though the slight presence of bloodshot eyes and the mug of steaming coffee she held told much of what her voice would not.

Ky, standing in the back unnoticed, wasn't quite sure what to make of this homey scene he had somehow intruded upon.

Momoko, from across the table lectured, "You wouldn't be so tired if you didn't go out until late night, fighting these people and bringing back men you don't know! Speaking of which, Fate-chan, did you remember to call?"

"Yes. I called mother last night about the sleeping arrangements."

Nanoha whined, "Mumm... It's not like I wanted to..."

"I know... but... Kiske-san! Good morning! We were just talking about you!" Mum suddenly shifted in tone and cheerfully greeted to the man, who was still blinking at what was going on.

"Um... Good morning?"

Fate nodded gently, eyes smiling her greeting, while Nanoha gave out a noise that sounded like, "Gub mornglinger..."

"Where am I?"

Momoko got behind the confused young man and started pushing him toward an open seat, "In my home of course. My daughter and her friend brought you home last night. Breakfast?"

"Oh..."

Truthfully, Ky had never had a Japanese breakfast before. On the other hand, it _tasted so good..._

Momoko made small talk to the eating Ky, the generally comatose Nanoha, and the mentally exhausted Fate, "It's too bad, Kiske-san, you woke up after Shiro, Kyouya, and Miyuki already left. They would have been happy to see that you're well..."

Politely between swallows, Ky managed to ask, "Who are you people?"

"Oh... sorry! I forgot that we weren't properly introduced. I'm Takamachi Momoko. That's my youngest daughter, Nanoha, and her best friend, Fate Harlaoun."

"Are you a Magus family? What do you people want from me?"

Nanoha finally shook out of her stupor enough to pout, though still rather tiredly, "We don't want anything from you! You were in trouble, so we wanted to help!"

"But you people used those machinery, like my attackers." Ky said, arms folded resolutely.

"I don't believe you can judge a person by the arms he bears..." Fate shot back.

"But-"

"And we also served you breakfast!"

"My daughter does have a point there..."

"But... er... you know..." Ky attempted, though for his age, he still hadn't properly built up defenses against glistening wet, pouting eyes, of which a trio of pairs had been turned against him. The knight swallowed.

"... It could be all... a... trick... ugh, fine. I give up."

A victory for femininity. Ky sighed, before coughing away this defeat.

"I guess... in that case... it would be proper of me to formally introduce myself."

He got up from his seat and bowed genteelly in front of the three ladies, sword at his side.

"I am Sir Ky Kiske the Thirteenth, knight and sworn protector of my family's heirloom weapon..."

He held up the white sword.

"... the sacred edge, Thunderseal."

* * *

After everything was cleaned up, Fate and Nanoha brought Ky along to Fate's home, where she promised, most likely a couple more answers would be answered there about exactly what was going on. They all conversed all the way to the bus.

"You're a knight? Aren't you a little young...?"

"It has always been a tradition of our family, that while the eldest inherits the majority of the estate, the youngest is given knighthood, and heads and protects the magical properties, including... you know..."

Fate pondered, "That's a little different from what I usually heard."

"So I have heard. Apparently this difference is because of a family legend."

"Oh?"

"It is said that the first Ky, during some war, became a leader of an army at only 16 years old. Despite his age, he still brought victory and peace through his rule. Because of that, the youngest in the Kiske family is always named 'Ky' and knighted at 16.

"So you were only became a knight this year?"

"Yes. And this trouble started in the same year..."

Feet stepped into the bus, seating a trio into the back row.

"Fate-chan, you know anything about the magic those people used? They called themselves Engrajei Ghosts..."

"I have an idea... but I want to talk to mother first."

"Hmmm. I also asked Yuuno-kun if he could find anything... though I hope I'm not troubling him..."

The lull that followed after allowed Ky to ask.

"Does you're entire family practice magic?"

"Oh no! Just me... I kinda actually found out about magic by accident, you could say."

"By accident, huh? Strange... all my life, with all the mages I met here, I always thought magic was something that belonged to ancient family lines with very large, hidden basements..."

"There's a lot out there, even beyond this world, Kiske-san." Fate answered.

"Beyond this world...?"

Nanoha shifted, "Umm... I wish I could explain it all to you, but it'd take a really long time..."

"And those machines you two used?"

Nanoha blinked and reached for her neck, "Oh? You mean Raising Heart?"

The knight's tongue struggled with Nanoha's attempt to speak English, "Raging Heart?"

"No, _Raising._"

Ky looked at the red bead hanging from a thick string with some skepticism. Then light flickered off it. Ordinary people would have merely thought it as sunlight reflecting off the little round gem, but Ky swore that the bead did it _on purpose._

"What... is it?"

"Raising Heart is my Intelligent Device. Fate has one too, Bardiche."

"Intelligent..."

"Raising Heart's my really good partner!"

"Ah, Nanoha, what would that make me?"

The white mage blushed.

Ky, if he hadn't been raised any better, would have thought it pretty damn weird what he was being told right now. He coughed again.

"Um, Fate. Perhaps you could tell me a little about this Mage group you work with? This Bureau?"

"TSAB? I wouldn't exactly call it just a 'mage group'..."

* * *

Admiral (though no longer front-line) Lindy Harlaoun encompassed both young mages with her arms.

"I heard what happened! Are you both alright?"

Fate nodded, "Yes. But I want you to meet someone.

Normally, when someone said 'someone', Ky would immediately start prepping himself for some gesture of greeting. However, Ky was looking intently at the fire orange-red puppy sat sat in front of him that gave a yowling "Hello!"

"Kiske-san?"

Ky looked up, "I am sorry. I was just admiring your familiar. It's not often I see one."

Lindy approached, "Arf's been Fate-chan's very good companion for many years. I'm happy to have met her, and for you to have meet her too. So you are the person in the center of these recent troubles?"

"I am Ky Kiske. It is my pleasure to meet you."

"Lindy Harlaoun."

They found themselves around the coffee table, Thunderseal laid across the length of its top.

Lindy thumbed her chin, as the crowd sat about this strange machine, "So, they were after this..."

Ky nodded, "They referred to Thunderseal as a "Jinki", but I've never head of such a designation before."

Nanoha hummed before turning to Ky, "Kiske-san, have you ever heard of any other weapon that might be like yours?"

He shook his head, "Never. Before now, I always thought that the Thunderseal was the only one of its kind. There are other swords that can be imbued to carry traits, but nobody seems to be able to create a sword that's capable of the power Thunderseal has."

Fate narrowed her eyes in thought, "Something's bothering me..."

"What, Fate-chan?"

"It's just that... if I didn't know better, the Thunderseal keeps making me think of it as a Device..."

Ky turned to Fate, "How? It can hardly do any of the things your machines can."

"True, but all the basic components are there, to charge magic, to collect magic, to release magic... but like you said, it also lacks essentially everything else. AI, or any regulation system... How long has the Thunderseal been with your family, Kiske-san?"

"Since as long as I can recall. All our family histories referred to it, since the beginning."

Lindy nodded, "You can essentially call it a Lost Logia in the shape of a device..."

"Lost Logia? Ms. Takamachi told me a little bit about your Bureau, and how it collects these sorts of machines for protection... is it really that powerful?"

"That's the problem. Even if there were more than just one of these Jinki, I don't see why people would be attacking you for what's essentially an extremely unrefined device. They could steal any standard millitary-device and achieve nearly the same results, perhaps lacking the same sheer power the Thunderseal has."

"Oh..."

"Kiske-san, if you don't mind, could I keep your sword for analysis for a little while?"

Ky's usually cool demeanor broke down rather fast at that, "But... but... I swore to protect it... and it's the heirloom of the Kiske... and you said it was a lost logia-"

"Kiske-san, I only said it could be called one, not that it was. I'm just going to keep it here for a couple of days."

A visible sigh of relief, "Oh... very well."

Nanoha looked surprised, "Lindy, can you actually analyze it?"

"It won't be a very good, compared to what the TSAB headquarters has, but I still have a few things left over from the Book of Darkness case."

"Oooh."

"Mother, speaking of which, I wanted to ask you about the mages that attacked last night."

"Ah, yes. They called themselves Engrajei-type Ghosts, right?"

"Do you know anything about it?"

Lindy picked up one particularly inconspicuous remote, which suddenly summoned a holographic display in front of them all. On it were rapidly replaying recordings of what Raising Heart and Bardiche had captured during their skirmish. Ky was shocked at the sudden appearance of the screen, but decided to ask about this sort of magic another time.

"Only from what I've learned. Unlike Belka, which was derived from the Mid-type a long time ago, Engrajei developed by itself. Essentially, it focuses purely on attack and speed. Everything is used to destroy the enemy. It even calls to disregarding any defensive magics, and relying only on speed to avoid attacks, and as you've guessed, skilled practitioners of Engrajei are called ghosts. Uncatchable, undefeated."

Nanoha's eyes widened, "No defense magics? Not even Barrier Jackets?"

"Even those."

"Then the slightest hit..."

"What about their devices?" Fate asked, "They seem capable of absorbing magic."

"Yes. Engine Devices. They are able to actively absorb any magic left over in the air from other attacks, recycling any magic that they use along with storing any magic that you might have used, which is then released all at once with each of their gear systems. Essentially, they get stronger over time."

Lindy leaned back, eyebrows narrowed, "But I'm still worried about something..."

"What?"

"Engrajei magic was practically phased out with the TSAB and wide-spread introduction of Midchilda magic."

"It was? Why?"

"Because Engrajei is terribly unbalanced. It offers an extreme power, but like Nanoha said, the smallest hit could potentially be fatal. It would take either an extremely skilled person or a very reckless one to use magic that makes you practically defensive. When I was on active duty, I only saw two the entire time, one of which was with Chrono. Yet today, I saw three at once, more than I've ever seen before... where did they all come from?"

"And they all wore uniform. You said the ghosts don't use Barrier Jackets, yet those three all wore white and covered their faces."

Nanoha's head jerked at the reminder, "Oh! I remember something! Lindy, could you hand me the remote?"

With the plastic trading hands, the white magic got the screen with Raising Heart's recording to move to the point where Nanoha had unceremoniously crashed onto the roof, the taller Aaroniero Arleri speaking to the freed Phoenix Entierro, their voices garbled and static, but still the words could be made out."

"_...Nothing, Aaroniero Arleri-sama. Bring us victory..."_

"_...For it is the will of Espada."_

"Espada, huh...?"

There was a silence, as the four of them, right there, realized this was the name of the _new enemy._

Lindy sighed, "Unfortunately, this is so far just an isolated case. A few talented mages, or ghosts, chasing after an archaic device. It doesn't mean anything, so this can't be turned into a full-scale investigation."

"Then... what do we do?" Nanoha asked.

"For now, what you need to do is cool off from what happened last night. I'll look after the Thunderseal and figure out if there's any way to pinpoint any more of these Jinki, if they exist... Scrya might be of help here... and Ky, you wouldn't mind staying at Nanoha's place for a while, until this all blows over?"

"Ah!? But, er... it would be rude of me to impose, and I'd be in the way... and..."

Nanoha cut in, "You can work at Midori-ya, if you want. Don't worry, I'm sure my mom and I can convince the rest of my family... not that it would be very hard... but it's no problem! My house has a lot of room!"

Fate couldn't help but wryly smile, "And it's not like the first time she brought a lost boy home..."

"FATE-CHAN!"

* * *

Ky bowed deeply at the waist towards Takamachi Shiro, Kyouya, and Miyuki, who all stood at the doorstep, blinking.

"Good evening, I am sir Ky Kiske the thirteenth. Due to the kindness on part of your matriarch and your youngest daughter, I was given permission to board in your home for the time being, paying for my time with assistance at your cafe."

Kyouya gave another dumbfounded blink, "...You're that guy from yesterday."

"Yes, I am. Funny how these sorts of things happen?"

Shiro shrugged, "I don't mind you staying. We're not stingy or anything, and if you're working while you're here, I can't really argue, right?"

Miyuki tugged on her father's sleeve, though, "Are you sure?"

"If Momoko and Nanoha trust him, they've got good judgment, right?"

"I guess..."

Ky's aforementioned Takamachi matriarch suddenly called, "Dinner's ready!"

"Coming!"

In the living room, Nanoha looked out the window into the starry night sky, red bead in her palm.

"Raising Heart... it looks like we have another big adventure ahead of us, are you ready?"

"_ALWAYS MY MASTER."_

Nanoha smiled.

* * *

In the void of space, there was Catedral.

From it's central, obelisk like, largest structure in the center, like growths, stone towers and spires had grown out of it and out of each other, ever expanding like a crystal, towering and colossal, lines of energy intermittently running along the joined edges of carved rock.

Inside, was a dark chaos of hallways and walkways that traveled through each other and nowhere, eventually reaching the open air of the central obelisk if one managed to find their way. The place was like a monastery that dipped in and out of a sopping pool of Alice in Wonderland over and over and over until one couldn't tell whether Alice remained in Wonderland, or if she had mistakenly fallen out it and into the chaotic mess that was now called Catedral.

Within its many angled hallways, figures in white of all shapes and sizes walked at different speeds, some solemn, some vivid, but all white. All masked.

All Espada.

Aaroniero Arleri walked side by side with Kuma Oso.

"This is bad. One of the Jinki's been compromised. If word got out that our streak's been brought to a halt..."

"We do not believe they will ask yet. We were entrusted with the direction of this operation, after all. It was voted fairly, and the decision was in our favor. My trust will hold out for a little longer. At any rate, we have five of them."

"It doesn't matter if we have five. If we are missing even one, Outrage won't have enough processing power to be activated at all."

"True. But this set back was in our mind for quite a while, the reason why we targeted the other five Jinki was because they were far away from the TSAB controlled regions. However with these three unbearably close, it would be natural for there to be a Bureau response. However, we were hoping for the rapidity of our movements to be our asset. Apparently, we had estimated wrongly. Still, you are correct, Kuma Oso. This is a loss on our part, which must be repaired if the operation must continue. Until then, we concentrate on the remaining two as planned.

"This would have been fine if Phoenix hadn't freaked out." Kuma snorted.

"Do not speak ill of our charge. Phoenix Entierro has proven herself during the exercises to be extremely talented. Even inexperienced as she is, she is more than a match for any opposing strength."

"Well, too bad she had an opposition of the mind."

"The likelihood of the appearance of a mage of that description, this Fate Harlaoun, was unprecedented."

"Unprecedented or not, Phoenix screwed up the job."

"Kuma Oso..."

"Look, Aaroniero, I know you want to look after Phoenix. I want to look after her too, but when it comes down to it, she disobeyed_ your_ direct order to assist me, and she bugged out, and it cost us the Jinki. It may not be today, but eventually, someone's going to hear it, and they won't be happy."

"...We understand, Kuma Oso, the severity of her action. But she is still my charge, and she is still a child, and she still needs us for now."

"Just saying. I trust you, after all."

"Our thanks. Now we must see the condition of Phoenix."

"After you."

They traveled through the half lit halls, until found a shivering smallish form sitting leaned against the railing of a balcony that over looked the hollow of the central chamber, which scaled mind-bogglingly in height, lit by massive blue torches that lit the open corridors that ringed the room in a spiral.

"Phoenix Entierro."

Phoenix's body froze.

"We are not angry with you."

"You... believe me?"

"We also listened to Kuma Oso's report on the description of the mage. It matches. Even then, we still would have believed you-"

Phoenix small body hugged Aaroniero's towering counterpart by the waist, sobbing.

"I'm so sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I made you lose the Jinki! I made you lose the Jinki and mess everything up and it's all my fault! I'm sorry! But the mage... she... she... I'm sorry! It shouldn't have mattered! I... I really will accept any punishment-"

"Phoenix Entierro. Silence."

The girl was silent. Aaronerio Arleri knelt down, but even then had to tilt his towering mask down slightly to face the hiccuping girl.

"It is true. Your actions did cost the mission. We are somewhat disappointed at your failure to protect Kuma Oso, for he is your friend, yes?"

"Yes..."

"But despite all that, neither of us would accomplish anything with your punishment. We would not feel better, you would not feel better."

"But-"

"Phoenix Entierro, our charge, our ghost. We ask of you this one thing."

"...Yes?"

"Answer honestly, not for our sake, not for the operation's sake. If you ever see that mage again, will you lose control?"

"...I don't think so..."

"Good."

"...Aaroniero Arleri-sama... I just want to help you..."

White bony gloved hands moved to wipe away the tears that trickled out from under the shadows of the hood.

"We know."

"...Thank you."

"It is our pleasure. Now wash your face and go play with the others."

Phoenix nodded and hopped off the balcony, floating away to other sections of Catedral. Aaroniero stood and turned back to Kuma, who had stoically stood through the entire ordeal.

"Kuma. Friagne Dientedeleon is going to Aklumar, correct?"

"Yes."

"It is as you said. The situation is becoming complicated, and we do not want any underestimation of the abilities of the Bureau dogs. Accompany Friagne's party. If he has issues, say it was a direct order from us. We are too close to let things slide out from our control. Go forth and bring victory, Kuma Oso."

The bear-headed man bowed, "I will go."

"For it is the will of Espada."

* * *

Oi, Nanoha? How you enjoying your leave? While you get to sleep in, Hayate and the rest of us have to bust our butts to the edge of the universe to find some supposedly harmless Lost Logia... hey, who are those guys in white?

**Duel Four: Ace of Spades**

Did you know, there are three kinds of aces?

**LET'S ROCK!**

* * *

A/N: My humblest apologies. I was originally planning to just work on G-Gear.

Then I watched Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.

Now being so inspired, I have to write a GL fic for my 2007 Seasonal Special. Perhaps for Christmas, perhaps for Halloween, but I seriously gotta start on it. Again, my apologies if my division of labor becomes divided.

Also, a list of translations for the Spanish was asked. I deliver what I desired in English, though what may have come out on the other end is possibly not a direct translation.

MACHACARÁ!: I will crush!

ACTIVADO, AMO: Activated, master

EN LÍNEA, SEÑOR: Online, sir.

CONQUISTA DEL RELOJ: Conquest Clock

VIVO, REY: Alive, king

RESURRECCIÓN/ RESUCITADO : Resurrection/ Resurrected

LANCERO DEL FOTÓN: Photon Lancer

ROCIADA DEL RELÁMPAGO: Lightning Dash

SMASHER DEL TRUENO: Thunder Smasher

ABSORCIÓN: Absorption.

DIVISORIA SANGRIENTA: Bloody Divide

FLECHA MAJESTUOSA : Majestic Arrow

Ataúd: Coffin

Glotonería: Gluttony

Dos Colmillos: Two Fangs


	4. Ace of Spades

In a word, Aklumar was hot.

In Vita's word, Aklumar fucking _sucked_.

"Do we really have to do this?" The Iron knight petulantly groaned, looking into the scorched distance.

Shamal, close by, gave her usual embarrassed smile, "Well, Vita... Hayate did go into the Bureau specializing in these kinds of cases..."

Signum, arms folded, eyes closed, nodded, "You should be happy we were let off on an easy mission before our leave, anyways."

"Oh, whatever! You just wanna to surprise Fate."

"Hmm..."

Vita sighed, realizing she had been confounded once more by Signum's expertise in non-answering. She turned to the mage knight who overlooked the high cliff.

"Hayate, we good to go?"

She of the Night Sky turned around, her cloth armor swishing, smiling, "Alright, let's do this."

Vita smiled, back before saying, "Hey, new kid. Be sure to look after Meister well, right?"

A small, silver haired sprite appeared on Hayate's shoulder, "Right! And stop calling me 'new kid'! It's Reinforce Zwei!"

"Whatever, compared to how long the rest of us have been around, you're the new kid, new kid..."

Reinforce fumed.

* * *

**Duel Four: Ace of Spades**

* * *

There was once a time where the Wolkenritter had been a regular sight aboard the _Asura_. Those days had long passed with their early childhood, and now, traversing the worlds, the Wolkenritter had made a mobile home now out of the _Lancelot_, a spacious and well equipped new pride of the TSAB Navy, the next in the constant evolution of star-faring vessels.

Near the officer's dormitories was the conference room, currently inhabited by Yagami Hayate's personal task force, the Wolkenritter. Seated and in uniform as they were, they came to attention as their mistress entered the room, a small file tucked under her arm.

"Everybody? Are you doing well?"

"Good! You?"

"Very well, Vita."

"So, Hayate. We have a new mission?" Signum asked next.

Hayate nodded, "Hmmm. An team from the investigations department apparently found a Lost Logia on Aklumar. We're going to collect it, seal it, and bring it back to Lancelot."

Hayate motioned to the wall behind her, which on command, displayed several readouts and screen images.

"What we have is mostly hear-say, nothing truly substantiated. The Lost Logia apparently is referred to as "Zessen", though we don't have a visual on what it looks like. Also, the Logia is in possession of a man. His name is Anji Mito, but again, investigations says that the people of Aklumar never once saw him face to face, just a man covered in mystery and shadows. However, he does have one contact, a man named Kakukyaku."

The image of the man came on screen, wilily smiling like the world was fun as his grin made it out to be.

"Hopefully, if we can find this man, we can find Anji, and the Zessen. Questions?"

"Oi, Hayate. How dangerous is this Lost Logia?"

"I've been told that the magic readings that the investigations picked up were noticeable, but it's no Jewel Seed or Relic."

Zafira sat upright on the floor, shaped as a canine, "It would make sense, given the events surrounding our assignment to this mission..."

Everyone gave varying reactions to how Zafira had put it, though only Reinforce was vocal enough reiterating complainingly.

"This isn't fair! Miester and all of us need a break, too! Yet, they give us this case all of a sudden! It's not fair!"

"As Knights, it is our duty to see our mission through, despite any occurrence, for better or worse." Signum simply mentioned, arms folded and eyes closed. Reinforce puffed.

"I know, but..."

"Don't worry, Rein, I'm sure we'll be having our leave soon, anyways..." Shamal carefully interjected.

Everyone sighed for the hope that it was coming soon. Nanoha and Fate were already enjoying Uminari City, and they were missing out on the fun.

Vita piped up again, "Hayate, you think there's going to be any trouble?"

Hayate looked back to the screen, at the faces and "No Image"s that flocked it, "The most I expect is whatever trouble Anji or Kakukyaku could stir up... hopefully I can just convince them that holding onto the Zessen isn't worth it... but at any rate, even if this looks easy, I want everybody to be careful."

Vita grunted at the sun irritably. Aklumar still sucked. The system the Wolkenritter were visiting was not one unknown to them. In fact, many of the planets they had scoured for its Linker Core carrying wildlife while Hayate's life was in danger years ago.. This one was inhabited, though, and to avoid the hassle, they had avoided it.

But here they were again, amidst the hot sand and boiling red stone outcroppings, making their way to the little city on Aklumar where this idiot was a friend of another idiot who was in possession of another idiotic thing that was holding Vita's Meister back from her friggin' vacation.

The Iron Knight hoped for an opportunity to punch something.

* * *

All their flight paths lowered until the coasted low to the ground, their cloth Knight Armor close to slapping against the sandy earth. Arising from the horizon was a blob of low-rise white buildings.

"Everyone! This is how it's going to be! Shamal, Zafira, stay at the perimeter, keep an eye on the situation. The first weird thing, tell me! Sigum, keep an eye from the roofs! Vita and Rein, stick close to me!"

Everyone called our affirmatives, and split apart. Shamal and Zafira first veering away to hang by the edges of the city. Everyone else touched down, with the obvious exception of Reinforce, who held out on Hayate's shoulder. They entered the streets of the city.

Aklumar City sure was a quiet one, at any rate. Silence pervaded empty sandy pathways, save for a phantom singing of some incomprehensible language, which emanated from a roof somewhere. The white plaster buildings were round, with very little hard edges. Even the carved out open windows, which gave way to dark interiors, seemed like it had been naturally formed out of the wall.

The Wolkenritter stood here for a few minutes, unsure what to make of the lack of populace.

Vita was the first to snort it away, "I guess the sun's too much for the people here. They're all inside, can't be bothered coming out to meet us, huh?"

Signum hummed minor accent, "Perhaps... the both of you, protect Hayate."

With that, the Knight of Flames leapt onto a roof. Vita called back the obviousness of the statement. Reinforce sighed, "She's always so serious..."

Hayate shrugged helplessly, "Isn't it one of her good qualities? Come on, let's find this guy."

They traversed the shadow filled streets, hot sand grinding under their heels until an intersection beckoned them, one building out of all the others seemingly larger.

"..We're not really... going into buildings at random, are we?" Reinforce said almost in a pleading, panicked aura.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine." Hayate reassured, and with Vita in tow, they entered the building.

What was inside was an insufferably dark cantine, silhouettes moping about in the shadows created by the thin wood pillars, little unknown ingredients of all shapes and sizes hanging from the ceiling, wood benches and tables set up at seemingly random on the dirt floor, and a simple counter against one wall, barely visible light illuminating the lethargic caretaker of the serving surface, slightly muscled and in an apron for unknown sake.

Hayate approached him.

"Excuse me?"

"Hmmm..."

"... Do you know where I can find Kakukyaku?"

The tender tilted his head in a direction and nodded near imperceptibly. Hayate took it as a sign to look wherever he was, and lo and behold, a man a splitting image of Kakukyaku was seated under window, beam of light illuminated his fanciful clothes, which garishly clashed with the darkness of everything else.

With that Hayate, approached the man who leaned against the wall. He was easily many years older than the Mistress of the Night Sky. His lower body was swathed in large, loose blue pants, tips of black shoes peeking out. His chest was bare, save a sleeve like contraption that seemed to be attached to both arms with a single band of cloth, and hanging from behind his back comfortably. Shocks of black hair stuck out unevenly, with a tiny pair of glasses hanging off his nose. The rest of his face was a cheefuly, closed eye smile, while he tucked his legs underneath himself while he played some board game with another shadow.

"... A complex defense... but... one, two, three... done!" He announced lightly, moving pieces around for a complete victory. The shadow mumbled something and walked away.

"I hope you don't hold it against me or anything!" He called back to the shadow, before reaching into the deep depths of his sleeve to pull out a black fan, snapping it open to reveal a yellow diamond with an Asiatic character for "Victory!"

"Kakukyaku?"

He turned to Hayate with a gleaming cattish grin whilst fanning himself, "Yeeeeees?"

Hayate raised an eyebrow, irked by the random intensity of the word, "I am Yagami Hayate-"

"Say no more!"

"EH!?"

Hayate's eyes widened, as Kakukyaku had already thrown himself onto one knee and was grasping Hayate's hand lightly, "I heartily accept your proposal and return those feelings with ten times the vigor, come Hayate, let us enjoy the throes of love and journey through the universe as one-"

Vita found her opportunity to punch something. The man fell onto his back at the ranting firebrand.

"Look you idiot! Let someone at least finish their first sentence before you do something stupid!"

The man sat back up quickly, "Ah? Is someone jealous and desires my affections for herself only?"

The Iron Knight heated up, "W-w-wha-SHUT UP!"

"Ah? So another heartfelt rejection..." Kakukyaku eyed Reinforce on the first girl proposer's shoulder, "...How about you, little lady? Shall we be like Vega and Altair? Joined in passionate embrace and together as one, defying the laws of nature?"

"...Vega and Altair were separated." Reinforce couldn't help but deadpan. There was passionate, there was well acted, and then there was just plain desperate.

"Uh... Vega and Altair... which worked out?"

Vita stormed in again, "Look, you idiot! You don't even know why we're here!"

The fan snapped out again with a character for "Surprise!", covering Kakukyaku's lower face, while light gleamed off his glasses, "Oh, but if I were to be met by three beautiful ladies, would it not be obvious that all of them are vying for my affection? I am after all, unbearably handsome, educated, and debonair. Which is why I lock myself in this mild planet for eternity, for if I ever unveiled myself unto the galaxy, it would surely self-destruct, unable to take the radiance of my beauty-"

"We're from the the Time Space Administration Bureau." Hayate answered, "We wish to meet your associate, Anji Mito. We're concerned with something he's in possession of."

Kakukyaku sighed dramatically, slapping the top of his head with a closed fan that seemed to materialize into his other hand, "Ah, once again, the masses reach their grasping hands towards boring, simple Anji Mito, bypassing my glory, merely because he is in possession of Zessen..."

All three knights jerked in shock, "How did you know about it!?"

The fan snapped out a "Genius!", "Come now, Anji is so silly, he tells me everything! The legendarily useless Lost Logia, Zessen, good for nothing and bad for me! Every year a few people come by asking me to go tell little Anji that someone wants to see his Zessen. I say no, but they offer money, and I say no, and they offer more, and I keep saying no, and then they start offering food..."

"Food?" Reinforce asked, confused.

"A knuckle sandwich. I've had my fair share, though, and they're very hard on the teeth, so I refuse again, and chaos occurs. Most likely, since you three are from the Bureau, you will skip straight from money to offering me food, so I must decline, I have already had lunch, and bid you good day, try another time, perhaps when I've forgotten about all three of your divine beauteous complexes, and how well they fit with mine, which I admit, will not happen for quite a while..."

Kakukyaku staggered away melodramatically, sighing every which way about when he will "find his true love".

Hayate grabbed him by the shoulder, "Wait-"

Bubbly, teary eyes turned back, "You _do_ love me!"

Hayate's eyes narrowed somewhat, "Look, I'm not going to threaten you, but I need to meet Anji."

Kakukyaku's eyes quivered imperceptibly, before he gave another self-sacrificial sigh, Fans giving out the character "Sorrow..."

"Alas, for such a sweet, courteous lady, such as the three of you, I must oblige partway..."

Hayate gave a breath of relief, but still asked, "Partway?"

"All people who are interested in acquiring Zessen, or at least and introduction with poor Anji, at least have to show how willing they are to acquire it, whether its by outrageously silly amounts of wealth, or perhaps embarrassing information, or maybe even _clothing..._

Vita's murderous glare was lacking a laser beam to put through Kakukyaku's forehead, "Say that again and I'll make sure your prettiness becomes just a story..."

Kakukyaku gasped, and slapped a fan over his mouth, which said "Apologies!"

Reinforce frowned at the words the man said, "So... you want us to... pay you?"

"No, no! I've already been threatened with payment enough times. It's so boring! A pain beyond death! Here's the money, take it and forget it... achievements must be acquired, through hard work or... by skill of the game..."

"You mean, you want us to wager in a game." Hayate answered.

"Ah, you're so smart! I know you're the perfect one for me!"

Everyone shivered, but was starting to get used to the antics.

"So, what game would you want to play?" Hayate asked.

A large board slapped onto the table that suddenly was shifted between Kakukyaku and Hayate.

"SHOUGI!"

"...Shougi!?"

"Shougi!"

"...Shougi?" Hayate could only pathetically answer again.

"Indeed! It's a board game I've become very fond of! I've fallen so in love with this game, I took to learning the language of the characters used on each piece, and then learn the culture of the people who invented it! The culture of this world, Nippon, it's quite amazing! Refined like me, with such tradition, like me! How I would love to see this world of Nippon myself one day... Would you me to explain the rules?"

"Ah... no thanks... I think I can see how this game works already..." Hayate sheepishly declined.

"This does it... this guy is a total nut job..." Vita muttered behind a hand to Reinforce. As Kakukyaku started placing pieces across the board, he explained.

"So, if you win, you get to meet silly, silly Anji Mito for his silly, silly Zessen. Perhaps I should truly help little Anji get rid of his silly machine once and for all, so that people will only pay attention to my excellence..."

Hayate gulped, "What would you want if you win...?"

"Oh..." The fan closed and he pointed at random. Vita was the unfortunate target, "May I have her hand in marriage?"

Everyone exploded at about the same time, "WHAT!?"

"Oh come, now I can't let this excellent opportunity to attach such a beauty to myself!"

Vita was on the verge of just Gigant-Hammering everything into nothing, "YOU CAN'T JUST WAGER PEOPLE AT RANDOM! NOBODY ASKED ME IF IT WAS OKAY!"

"Oh, so we do need to ask you if it is obviously not alright with you? Does that mean you wanted to be asked for marriage?"

Vita stumbled, "Well, I mean... SHUT UP!"

"Either way, I can tell that this beauty here," Anji pointed to Hayate, "is your superior of sorts. In the old days of the world of Nippon, I heard that people were so obedient, they didn't mind getting married off for purely political reasons! Come now, if people from years ago could do it on command, why not try it for a fifty-fifty chance?"

Signum's telepathy suddenly entered the Wolkenritter's mind, (_Is something wrong? I though I picked up a sense of distress from the three of you, Vita especially.)_

Hayate sighed back an answer, (_We've run into... something I didn't quite expect. Stay where you are, I'll try and handle it...)_

"Look, Kakukyaku, I'll have to play your game, but we don't want to wager our friend. You won't accept anything else?"

Sunlight gleamed off the mischievous fellow's glasses again, while the fan snapped up with the character for "Curious!"

"Oh?"

A thick brown tome appeared in Hayate's hand, "This is a special device-"

Kakukyaku was already turning away glumly, "I was hoping for another beautiful woman..."

"Hey!"

"Honestly, I've had my share of people offering machinery, like the useless Zessen. Can't you offer yourself? At least it'd make the game more _exhilarating._.."

Kakukyaku even nudged his eyebrows at the word. Hayate's features shriveled, "If there's really nothing else I can bet... fine..."

Vita choked, "Hayate! Don't!"

"But I he won't accept anything else, and I don't want to bet _you!"_

The Iron Knight broke down and sighed, "No... it's alright... I'll do it... Just so long as you don't end up like some gambling piece!"

"Vita-"

"You heard me, you idiot! I'll... be your wife... if you win..." Vita already muttered.

"Well, that took a long time to finally get back to square one!" Kakukyaku cheerily answered, whilst fanning himself. He patted a cushion that magically appeared beside him, "Come, wifey! Sit beside me and cheer me on!"

"What!?"

"Pleeeease?" He whimpered, his fan giving the same expression. Vita groaned.

_(Hayate, don't lose!)_

_(It's not like I'm going to try!)_

Vita stomped her way onto the mat, and sat down. Then she yelped as Kakukyaku's broad arm swept around her waist and pulled her close, other hand fanning, while he gaily smiled. Vita just waited for the storm cloud above her head to start shooting bolts at the man she was limply stuck with.

"Won't this be so fun? Come now, pretty lady! Shall we play?"

* * *

It was Shamal who first felt something. She was the support expert after all, and expert in area effecting magics.

Thus, she jerked her head upward in confusion as she felt something uncannily like a containment field being lowered onto the city... yet the sky remained clear, and the sensation almost had already faded.

But Shamal wasn't stupid. The Guardian Beast wolf nearby watched with concern as Shamal stood up from her kneeling position, where she had been scanning the vicinity.

"Something happened?"

"I don't know..."

_(Signum... Signum? Signum!)_

Now Shamal had proof that something was up.

"Zafira, I think we're under attack!"

"What!?"

"Something's closed off the long distance communication."

"That would require a containment field or barrier..."

"Something passed over me just now. I barely felt it, and that's already me as a specialist. The others probably wouldn't even have felt it. Zafira, go find Signum, and try and find Hayate as soon as possible, I'll try to figure out the algorithms to this containment!"

"Right!"

White leather shoes ground to a halt in at the entrance of the cantine, material fine and expensive, and of extremely designer quality. It sauntered in, where a duel of minds was quickly falling apart.

"No... no, not there, you see, I will be able to take your bishop, and then you leave your entire left side weak before my rook..."

"Ugh..."

"Or, I could just be messing with you in hope that you will, in fact, not move your bishop there, so that I could possibly charge down the center!"

"...You're enjoying this, aren't you...?"

"Of course! It's been a while since I've had a halfway decent Shougi match, though obviously your powers of perception fail in my glorious aura, right, sweetie?"

"Call me that again, and I swear, you idiot..."

"Ah, my bride to be is such a spirited young woman!"

"Do you even know how old I am...?"

Coldness washed over the entire party fixated over the Shougi board with the arrival of an icy voice, smooth and frozen.

"Is everyone enjoying themselves?"

Everyone looked up and saw white. It was a lithe figure, dressed in a proper white three piece business suit, white pants, white striped shirt, white vest, and a prim coat over it all. White gloves on poised hands. The only sense of color was a blue necktie and the likewise shaded hair that hung out from under his proper white fedora hat. In one hand, a deck of cards were being constantly reshuffled, five fingers deftly creasing paper panels and sliding new ones between others.

Danger senses rang and color left the Wolkenritter's visage when they saw the man's lack of it.

A mask. A plain plate that sealed off any flesh between the jaw and the hairline, from temple to temple, carved columns of triangular eyes on either half.

Images filled Hayate's mind, of a pair of twins that took on a frighteningly similar form in order to try to make her and her family disappear. The fear of that shape never quite left her.

"W-who are you?"

The white suited man stared at her for several seconds, as if trying to realize something. Suddenly he removed his hat and bowed, thought it felt mocking.

"For you my lady, I answer. My name is Friagne Dientedeleon. Now..."

Friagne turned to Kakukyaku and his plastic smile, "I believe you know someone we want."

"Ah, silly Anji is so popular this year, but pardon me, Dientedeleon, I already made prior engagements with these three beauties concerning an audience with foolish Anji."

"That is expected, however I'm sure you are already aware that my party and I are the type to give out death threats, regardless of the situation, if we are denied. I pass the same warning to you."

There was a tense silence, all at the board game dangerously inspecting this new comer. Kakukyaku spoke first, mouth behind a fan that muttered a "Curious!"

"Oh? So you are going to hurt me? I wish I could believe you, but your current physical state... is not very intimidating."

"I am aware of that. That is why I brought an associate of mine who might a bit more appropriate for this task."

Friagne turned to the ceiling, "Razlo?"

A hole was blown through the roofing, an a heavy figure tumbled onto its feet right beside it suited summoner. When it stood up, the hulking figure was a whole head taller than Friagne, a column of white heavy cloaking that streamed downward. Stretching out was a long skinny neck, topped by monstrous impish face, mottled and speckled flesh, gold earrings hanging off shriveled ears, a battered wide cowboy hat settled on its bald head, while two eyes blazed psychotically, one completely blank and sour milky white, the other showing the barest of an iris and pupil. Most disgusting, was the metal grate that took up the entire mouth space under the nose, screw heads bolted onto the edges of the aged plating which had systematically placed holes punched through for breathing.

Friagne lifted a hand to the beast, "This is my associate, Razlo Justicia. As you may already guess, he's not the most vocal of my comrades, though not least bit unintelligent. Shall we?"

The two began to move forward, but were stopped by the sight of Hayate on her feet, pointing Schwertkruez at the pair.

"Neither of you are touching him."

Friagne's masked face nodded slightly, while he folded his arms, "And believe you can order us because...?"

"Because, we're the TSAB..."

"...More importantly, we're the Wolkenritter!" Vita added cockily.

Friagne's voice snorted, "Wolkenritter... as Bureau dogs? What kind of garbage is that?"

"...Eh?"

The white suited man's body shivered, as if he found the information a terrible joke, both good and bad, "The Book of Darkness? Being used as the tool of the Bureau? The highest hypocrisy, and not only that... the worst lie ever! If you really were the Wolkenritter... you would be able to survive this!"

Friagne shot his card-filled hand into the air, a blue Midchilda sigil suddenly erupting under his feet. Razlo didn't seem to notice. Everybody else backed away, devices and shouts flying out.

"Hayate-"

"Vita, watch out-"

"Get down-"

"Full House Crash."

* * *

Signum's eyes widened in shock as she flew towards her mistress' mental location, only to find it explode in the distance.

Zafira cursed, "We're too late!"

The Knight of Flame's eyes narrowed into professional coolness, keeping her heart just hot enough, "Something like that won't hurt them, but I'm not going to leave them any nearer to whatever caused it. Let's go-"

"Signum! Above you!"

Signum, upon Zafira's cry of warning, instinctively spun about to fly on her back, raising Levantine up to parry.

A heavy black geta sandal smashed into her blade, a passionately raging cry following after. Signum managed to gasp in shock, just before the strength of the falling kick sent her rocketing down into a roof, dust and shards of plastered construction flipping into the air.

Kuma Oso hissed, crossed his swords in front of him and dashed down toward the knight trapped in the building.

Zafira was there first, standing now as a man in front of Signum.

"Out of the way!"

"I'm going nowhere!"

Dos Colmillos crashed against the surface of Zafira's white belka shield, sparks skittering everywhere. Despite the considerable force, Zafira's raised fist was more than enough to maintain the defense against the two katana.

Then Kuma snarled through his mechanical breaths, "Bite in!"

"**ABSORCIÓN."**

And with a whine of engines, the two swords easily bit in and cleaved through the Guardian Beast's shield, magic being drawn into Kuma's weapon.

Zafira stumbled back, trying to raise his fists to counter attack, while Kuma dropped to the ground, blades drawing back to slash at the Beast of Sheilds.

Dos Colmillos' flight path was cut short halfway through, as Signum recovered from her descent to rush up to her feet, her blade clashing against Kuma's.

"Zafira! Go to Hayate! I'll handle this one!"

"... Be careful!" Zafira finally allowed after a second of deliberation, before rushing away into the sky. Kuma's bear face sneered.

"Good, just the two of us now. Just the way I wanted it, Signum."

"What?"

Levantine broke away from Dos Colmillos, and the two of them lifted into the sky, facing each other. Signum with her Armed Device ahead of her, Kuma with one half of his Engine Device swept behind him.

"What, you don't recognize me, Signum?"

She answered with only a steely glare.

"Of course you don't, with this mask. But you don't remember this voice? This stance?"

Kuma's grip tightened on each sword.

"But I remember you, Signum. Every minute, every day, every breath, I remember... I remember the day you killed me."

* * *

Kakukyaku coughed as he kicked debris off his legs. Looking at the smoking mess about him, he saw Vita, Reinforce, and Hayate lower their barriers and shields cautiously.

Friagne snorted, "So you really weren't lying... How strange..."

Kakukyaku stood up quickly, cheerfully frightened, and raising an open fan above his head that was the first character for "Bye!"

"Well! I've had enough excitement for one day! I'm sure I'll let you folks enjoy your reminiscing while you destroy each other... Later!"

With that, the man rushed into the streets. Friagne gave another derisive sound, before turning to Razlo, who had been untouched through out the entire situation.

"Razlo, you go get that punk. I'll handle all these Bureau dogs here."

The towering man leapt high, and began to glide away. Vita was already on her feet, shouting back.

"Don't worry! I'll get him! You two handle the cardsharp!"

Hayate and Reinforce tried to say something, but Vita was already a dot in the distance. Sighing, they turned back to the patient Friagne.

"Tell me. How many pages have you filled in the Book of Darkness? How much longer do you believe you'll live?"

Hayate narrowed her eyes, before summoning the tome into her other hand. "It doesn't need to fill pages any more. It's not called the Book of Darkness."

"It's Reinforce Zwei! And we'll be living for a really long time!" Hayate's Unison Device also piped up, annoyed.

"Administrative Reformat... imagine that..." Friagne mused, before snapping his fingers. On command, playing cards began to magically bleed off his form, as if his body was some sort of paper wraith, giving off paper smoke. "Very well, mistress of pain, shall we begin a new game?"

"Reinforce, you ready?"

"Yes, Meister!"

Ice and magic formed about them, as they shouted, "Unison In!"

* * *

Kakukyaku screeched to a halt when the street he was traveling down was suddenly obstructed by a Razlo Justicia that dropped from the sky, and decided to give a stare, that despite being very dead and blank, still somehow managed to promise much pain to the man.

Fans opened, one of them saying "Fury!" while its owner regarded Razlo as a fighter.

_Looks like I do have to fight... luckily no one else is here-_

"Hey! Idiot! Get down!"

Kakukyaku gave a pathetic cry and fell face first in the sand, while Vita dove down from high above, fingers wrapped about silver spheres. In other other hand, the hammer, Graf Eisen screamed.

"**SCHWALBE FLIEGEN!"**

The homing missiles flew narrowly over Kakukyaku's head, who gave a yelp from the heat. Razlo regarded the flying spheres as best as a silent being like him could. Throwing his arms apart, the cloak flung open about him, revealing his naked torso, anorexic and sickly, while a pair of studded mariachi pants hung from his hips, pointed boots on his feet.

Hanging from his neck was a necklace adorned with a little steel cross, four crimson gems at the end of each arm. Razlo tore the decoration of his neck, uttering only one thing.

"Castigo..."

"**ALISTAR, JEFE MILITAR."**

Swallow Fliers exploded against a device that came out of nowhere, shielding Razlo. Smoke crawled across the air, while Vita landed in front of Kakukyaku.

"Stay behind me, you idiot..."

"Y-You do care about me!"

"Seriously. Shut up."

A fan snapped open "Apologies!"

Magic induced smoke was quickly absorbed into Razlo's device, that surged out from the disappearing cover in the shape of a hulking mechanical cross nearly as tall Razlo himself, a rotating hand hold in the intersection of the cross, and large versions of the four blood red gems inlaid at the end of the arms of Castigo.

Hefting the massive device behind him, Razlo somehow had Castigo hang off his back, while he reached behind himself to find two large handguns for each hand, cross motifs adorning the veritable hand cannons. The muzzles pointed towards Vita.

"Guns, huh? Aren't you a cowardly little thing?" The red knight mocked, before she shouted to Eisen.

"Load Cartridge!"

"**EXPLOSION! RAKETENFORM!"**

Razlo's eyes narrowed the slightest at the sight of the hammer gaining it's rocket propelled properties. The red cores on Castigo glowed.

"**PRESA."**

Along with the glowing barrels of Castigo's guns, several more glowing spheres appeared about Razlo. Vita spat, before the rocket burst to life, the Iron Knight spinning about like a top before flying toward Razlo's hail of magic shells.

* * *

"Gear Two!"

A gem on Kuma's other sword turned brilliant blue and began to burn alongside Dos Comillos' first gear.

"**ASCENSIÓN."**

Signum jerked back, frustrated.

_I was too slow!_

"TAKE THIS!"

Dos Colmillos scissor sliced at Signum, Kuma completely ignoring the fact that she had brought her sword up to catch between the blades. Steel rang against each other, and Signum was knocked back through air. Taking a look at Levantine, she frowned as she saw a sizable sliver chipped off from her blade.

"What's the matter Signum? Don't tell me you're finally out of practice."

"For one who claims to know me, you don't know very much about me." Signum retorted.

Kuma's mechanical voice harrumphed, and he fell back into stance.

Signum's thoughts were rapid as she prepared herself as well. Rather twisted, but it appeared that her previous years of experience before Meister Hayate wasn't about to be abandoned anytime soon, as experiences with other Engrajei users flooded her mind.

_Close combat type... He's going to physically overpower me. Not something I'm used too... using Levantine's flames would only feed his device... I'll have to keep my distance-_

"What are you waiting for, Signum!? Use your Snake Form already!" Kuma yelled.

The knight growled at the taunting prediction, but made no move to try any other plan. A cartridge exploded.

"**SCHLANGEFORM!"**

Kuma Oso leapt away from length of bladed chain that was created out of the extending form of Levantine. The bear shape danced about in the sky, around looping circles that tried to catch him at every move, only to be just slightly slower than the speed Engrajei magic gave to Kuma Oso.

"What's the matter Signum!? You're slow! Where's the strength that came from your mindless devotion to you master!? Where's that sure stroke!? Where's that cold look that used to be in your eye!? That cold soul?! The cold soul that KILLED ME!"

Kuma dive-bombed at Signum, Levantine's tip behind him unable to keep up, while he dodged around other whipping lengths of blade that came into his way.

"Levatine! My armor!"

"**PANZER GEIST!"**

The purple aura came onto Signum the same moment Kuma crashed head first into her, sending both of them through several buildings.

* * *

Friagne twisted his head towards the sound of destruction in the distance, before giving a contemptuous sneer.

"Kuma, preaching to us about keeping our minds on the job, when he's the one enjoying himself-"

A mass of playing cards formed in front of Friagne, shielding his body entirely as each of them emitted minuscule Midchilda shields that united against a massive white blast.

Cards shifted away to leave a small hole for Friagne's masked face to peer through the blackened shield. In the distance was Hayate, Belka insignia under her feet, while several more Midchilda signs hovered about her, energy collecting at each circle in the corner, as well as in the center.

"I was hoping I would be fighting a polite opponent-"

"Hræsvelgr! Fire!"

Friagne dodged each beam, cards floating about his palm deflecting some of the weaker blasts, while more cards that orbited his body flung their razor-sharp selves back in retaliation.

"Fighting the Book of Darkness in this era... what would Gil Graham think..."

Hayate, though ducking a sweep of cards, still heard the offhand remark, "What!?"

"Oh? So you heard of him? The mystery heightens, now that we have a mutual acquaintance..."

"How do you know about him!?"

"Allow me to re-introduce myself, any good friend of the good Admiral..."

Neat shoes slid to a halt, and Friagne bowed deeply with his hat in hand, "I am Friagne Dientedeleon, member of the Orden de la Espada Inútil, or Espada. Gil Graham and I were each others favored nemesis, clashing over many years. I was so upset when I heard he went accepted his promotion into administration duties years ago... but who is this young lady? The mistress of pain, who dares associates with the Admiral who deign seal her into another realm for the greater good?"

"That's none of your business."

"Very well... I'm just curious. Have you ever met his familiars? They had a disguise based off my appearance, I was so pleased they respected my malevolence so much... I'm talking too much am I? Very well..."

Friagne snapped his fingers. Somewhere in Hayate's mind, Reinforce gasped and shouted, "Above you!"

Hayate jerked her head up in shock. A circle of cards spun high above her position, building a blue Midchilda sigil in the center

_When did he-_

"Royal Crusher."

The beam attack caught Hayate dead on, a downpour that carried on into the ground, exploding.

"Hmph. Her strength scares me... but she's still nothing like Gil."

* * *

Razlo Justicia continually zipped away in the air, firing back at Vita, who snarled at the unending game of Cat and Mouse, which was only getting more irritating as more the second Gear had activated, turning the rapidity of Razlo's cannons into automatic weapons, tracer streams filling up the air in between the red girl and the white giant.

"Think you're so fast huh? Eisen!"

"**PFERD!"**

Coils of green magic suddenly wrapped around Vita's feet, easily increasing her speed in a short burst that was enough to catch Razlo off-guard, the smallish girl zipping past the wall of blasts.

Razlo jumped away at another rocketed assisted swing, though his flapping arms accidentally allowed the guns to be ripped to shreds upon contact of Graf Eisen's sharp gold tip. The Engrajei gunner tossed aside the ruins of his weapons in time to catch Graf Eisen by the same handle Vita was holding onto, struggling to keep the tip away from his face, while the booster on the other side sent Vita and Razlo.

"How you like that!? You can't attack without your stupid guns!"

Unbeknown to Vita, she had made two mistakes, however logical they were. Seeing the cross of Castigo unused Vita assumed it was some sort of overrated battery to supply Razlo's handguns she had destroyed, and nothing more.

The second mistake was that she was under the impression that Razlo Justicia only had two arms.

Thus, Razlo gave a choked sound like if he was trying to chuckle through his sealed mouth, while the back of his cloak parted, Castigo rising high above him, supported by a third white sickly limb that jutted out the back, which held it up by the center handle.

Vita's eyes widened, as she found the longest arm of Castigo pointed down at her, Engrajei runic bands winding around the end.

"**COMETA: ASCENDIDO."**

Razlo and Vita disappeared in the blood red explosion. Vita tumbled out of it, spinning uncontrollably, until Kakukyaku was suddenly by the knight, picking her up his grasp.

"Wha-"

"Come now! You expected me to stand by and let my pretty bride get hurt?"

"Oh... You're still on that!?"

Kakukyaku landed on the ground, cheekily smiling, "Why not?"

"We didn't even get to finish the game, you idiot! You didn't win or anything!"

"Well... I was quite close to winning in just five moves, but Hayate was just making the most delightful noises and facial expressions-"

"You... are dead."

"Only at your hands, my sweet! Which is why we should be worrying about that large fellow up there."

Both looked up at Razlo, whose arm attached to his back was slowly shrinking back under the cloak, leaving Castigo with the impression again it was merely attached to his back.

"Castigo..."

"**CONSTRUCTOR DEL ARMA."**

Two more handguns with crosses materialized into Razlo's hands. He swung them down to point at the two.

Vita snorted, "Cheap little tricky jerk... fine, round two-"

She found herself being hauled away by a rapidly running Kakukyaku who was running in the opposite direction. Her honor as a knight protested.

"What the CRAP!?"

"Come now, I can't let a beauty like you try and get hurt any more! Besides, you're supposed to be protecting me!"

"I'm protecting you! By beating the crap out of that giant idiot before he even touches you!"

"Ah! I'm so pleased, you called someone else an idiot. Am I moving up in your opinion?"

"YOU'RE STILL AND IDIOT! NOW LET ME GET THAT IDIOT!"

"I'd rather just... keep running."

"The let go of me!"

"But you're my bride to be!"

"NO I'M NOT!"

With that, Kakukyaku, being more than he let on, found a way to keep Vita occupied while he worked with what a knight would consider a cowardly tactic, carrying both of them across the streets and hopefully to the outskirts of the city.

That was when Kakukyaku ran into an invisible wall with such force, the two of them went bouncing back and slammed onto the ground harshly.

"Ah... weird... what was that?" Was all Kakukyaku managed to say from the ground. Vita picked herself up from the ground to run up the the invisible obstruction, placing her hand against the immovable surface.

"A containment field... when was this set up...? Hey, idiot, so what about your great plan to run away?"

"Can we do something about him first!?" Kakukyaku squeaked, seeing Razlo hover into view. Vita smirked as she walked towards Razlo up in the sky.

"He's run out of tricks, Eisen. Let's get it to work this time!"

"**JA!"**

* * *

An armored leg came out of nowhere into Friagne's peripheral vision. Raising his forearm, the Espada raised a small shield that crackled against Zafira's leg.

"Another pest from the clouds...?"

"This the last time you touch my mistress!"

With a cry, Zafira's kick broke through Friagne's shield, smashed his arm, and sent the white suited man into a building. In the smoking crater, Hayate coughed, but stepped out of the ruins unharmed.

"Meister! Are you alright?" Reinforce asked.

"Just got caught off guard, but I'm good. Thanks for warning me, Rein."

Zafira landed by his mistress, "Hayate, I'm sorry I came so late."

"It's alright. You came at the right time. Vita's fighting another one."

"Signum is also fighting one. Shamal believes that a containment field has been set up over the area, along with some sort of communication jam, she's working on it as we speak."

The rubble of the Friagne collapsed building was blown away. Stepping out of it nonchalantly was the familiar white suit, save that his right arm was missing above the elbow, leaving only a hollow shaft with uneven edges of cards sticking out.

"Such brusque strength... just like a familiar... though Lotte had a bit more finesse..."

Cards shifted out of the broken opening, forming outward and losing luster shape until a new arm had formed perfectly.

Hayate frowned, "I've never seen someone with this much strength before... what is he...?"

_(...ayte...Hayate!)_

She of the Night Sky looked in the distance, recognizing Shamal's voice.

_(Shamal!)_

_(Thank... I reached... took a long... to break... jam...)_

_(Shamal! I heard from Zafira about the field! Can you break it?)_

_(I've been... hard... hack... algorithms keep morphing...)_

_(What can I do Shamal?)_

_(...Smash it!)_

Hayate gave a wry grin, "That's something I can do... even if I'm not Nanoha... Zafira!"

"Yes?"

"Shamal told me to use a large spell on the field. While I'm performing the Aria, you have to keep Friagne busy!"

"That guy?"

"Yes."

"I'll make sure he doesn't get anywhere close to you."

"Reinforce, could you help him?"

The Unison Device echoed inside her mind a sense of apprehension. "B-but you won't have my firing precision then!"

"Don't worry. It's just hitting a wall. Zafira's going to really need your help, though. Okay?"

"R-Right!"

With that, Hayate flew upwards, while she lost the glow of her hair and eyes. Reinforce, leaping out of Hayate's body, reached Zafira with another cry of "Unison In", bringing the charging Guardian Beast's clothes and armor a shining glow.

Friagne chortled as he watched everything, "So, they're going to try and smash the Diamond Field. I won't ALLOW THAT!"

Zafira watched Friagne take a straight line into the air toward him. Rearing back, Zafira threw out his palm, white Belka sign spinning. Thick shafts of light flung themselves out of the air toward the card player.

Friagne threw out more card walls, each catching several of the blows, which Friagne quickly discarded upon each connection to rise and meet with Zafira face to face.

"TAKE THIS!" Zafira roared, throwing his fist forward toward Friagne's face. He retaliated with a decorated lone Ace of Spades, which clashed exploded with force against the armored gauntlet.

"The spade stands for death, the Ace its trump of the suit... can you fight death, Wolken pest!?"

"Easily, if it's just a piece of paper!"

Up above, Hayate opened up her book, Schwertkreuz high in the air proudly. She chanted.

"Tome of the Night Sky... your mistress, Yagami Hayate, commands you here and now to release your power to crush your enemies..."

Clouds began to form high in the sky, shrouding the normally burning hot Aklumar sky in darkness.

* * *

Vita groaned as she saw the a dark sphere in the sky begin to crackle with purple lightning.

"Hayate's really going to... not again!"

Vita's attention quickly returned to jerking her head out of the way of a stray round, before swinging away at Razlo, who used Castigo's massive girth to ward off the hammer-tip.

Down below, Kakukyaku decided to be very unhelpful.

"Wh-at? What you say, wifey!?"

"Shut up and try and hide! You're in for a hellvua light show!"

"Oh dear..."

* * *

"What the hell..." Kuma growled as he looked past Signum's head to the sky. Signum already felt the change in the air, and kept her blade and sheath firm against Kuma's swords.

_Hayate... please hurry!_

* * *

Friagne continued to try and flank Zafira, who kept the perimeter around the chanting Hayate free of any Espada. Where the white suited man moved, the Guardian Beast was already there in front of him.

"Take this!"

Friagne threw a mass of cards toward Zafira, who quickly put out another shield. As the cards rammed into the white defense, Friagne snapped his fingers.

"Guard Flush."

More miniature mid-type symbols appeared on the cards, and weak by themselves, the combined force bored through Zafira's shield in a few quick moments. Caught off guard, Zafira gave a cry of pain as cards ripped past him, causing him to fall from the sky.

"Hmph. Looks like this round's to me..." Friagne muttered before flinging himself at Hayate. She had a look of shock at the wounding of her family, but her features quickly gained a stony look, while her rod crackled.

"Fire! Annihilation Lightning!"

"**ES SO LASSEN WIRD GESCHRIEBEN."**

The purple bolt of lighting crashed through the invisible containment, that turned a brilliant blue under the duress of the immense blow. Easily, the top of the dome that encircled the city shattered, leaving thick purple streams of corrosive power shining everywhere.

Friagne screamed and burned away into so many cards as one swept right in front of Hayate. She gasped, and remembered.

"Zafira-!"

With that, she dove down towards the earth, while the dome top shattered, lightning hitting the ground, and everything being dissolved into a bright light.

Perhaps of the sudden infusion of magic into the air, it began to pour from a gray sky into Aklumar, drenching everything.

"Zafira? Zafira!?" Hayate called out, amongst the shadows. Some wreckage shifted, while a large wolf, followed by Reinforce appeared.

"Here, mistress."

"Zafira! Are you alright?"

"It's nothing serious. Reinforce protected me."

"Thank you, Rein."

"It was no problem! You got rid of that guy, anyways, Meister!"

Other cries of Hayate, Meister, or Mistress came out, as the other Wolkenritter arrived.

"Hayate! You did it! You managed to corrupt the other two algorithms enough I could hack the one remaining!" Shamal greeted enthusiastically.

Signum also reported, "I couldn't find any other enemies after the blast had subsided. We have a moment's peace for now."

"Hey, I still got the idiot here. Hard fight, no thanks to HIM." Vita muttered, kicking a squealing Kakukyaku to the sogging earth.

"Well... we're all alive... that's what matters?"

"Yeah, whatever!"

"Kakukyaku," Hayate addressed under the rain, "We helped protect you. Can you let us meet Anji Mito now?"

The man stood, and with a hefty sigh, followed by a fan giving off the character of the same onomatopoeia, answered, "I guess I cannot object any longer..."

"YES! No more seeing your stupid face!" Vita cheered.

"And I was growing so fond of you, too, my dear... ah, but who are these two lovely ladies? Hayate, you didn't introduce me to your two new friends!"

Signum and Shamal made faces, before turning to Hayate with a look.

_(Yes... this was the trouble from before...)_

"Allow me to introduce myself, I am the brilliantly dashing-"

Hayate raised a palm, "Could you take us to Anji Mito now?"

"Ah... ah... very well... in fact! He's quite close! Let me bring him to you instead!"

"Eh?"

Kakukyaku stepped toward a corner of a building, "Not just a moment, wait and see."

Kakukyaku disappeared out of sight. Then reappeared, prostrating at the waist.

"Konnichiwa, everyone! I am Anji Mito, I heard that you protected my silly friend, Kakukyaku, quite valiently! How may I serve you!"

Jaws went slack as Kakukyaku greeted them with the new name. Vita blubbered into words first.

"W-w-what sorta joke is this! Hayate said to get Anji Mito, you idiot!"

"Ah, but here I am, just as you asked!"

"What are you talking about! You're Kaku...Ka...koo... yo... You're that idiot!"

"On the contrary, dearest, it is many who knows Anji Mito's face, but not one has none what Kakukyaku looks like... or if he even exists."

"An alias for you protection?" Signum realized and noted. Anji gave a grin and nodded.

"How refined and quick your words are! Ah, if only we had met sooner..."

Vita was grinding her teeth at this trickery, "Alright... fine... fair enough, you wanted to protect yourself... then show us the Zessen!"

"Here you are!"

The two fans snapped out the characters, "Zes" and "Sen".

"...No..."

"Indeed! A most useless Lost Logia! But alas, I have been caught, but by a group of beautiful women no less! I am pleased to surrender myself to such a glorious audience, and my fans, the Zessen-"

Vita was already on top of him grabbing his throat.

"YOU IDIOT! Dragging us around like that and your stupid games and aliases and showing off those fans everywhere and... GAGH! Tricking Hayate like THAT!"

Anji tried to strangle something out. Everyone else tried to pry the livid mini firebrand off him.

In the desert, stones were being cleaved angrily. Kuma Oso swirled and cursed, Dos Colmillos venting his rage.

* * *

"Damn! Damn! Damn!"

"Someone's angry."

Kuma swirled about to see Friagne and Razlo walk up to the rendezvous point in the middle of nowhere.

"You said that the Diamond Field could hold any bombardment!"

"There is any bombardment. And then there are simply bombardments. Yagami Hayate... interesting name... interesting person."

"Shut up! We lost them!"

"If you're so anxious to try and go against the Wolkenritter, especially now that they have their main artillery girl back in action, feel free! I however, would like to bide my time and plan out something proper for them."

"You and your plans..."

Razlo was silent through out it all.

"Of course. Strategy is both an element of game and war. Anticipate the opponent's hand, reshuffle yours in response... don't worry, I won't be returning to Catedral with you two yet. I'll be keeping an eye on them for a while. How about you? You seemed to be enjoying yourself with one of the knights... was she too pretty to be ignored?"

"Shut up."

"Ooh? But very well, I keep my peace."

"What point is there in observing them, if you can't even follow them, Friagne?"

"Oh, I have my ways of following them. Cards can always be used for a new game after all."

"Really."

Gloved hands held out two cards, the king and queen of diamonds.

"When the Diamond Field came down, the King and Queen returned home, but where is that knave Jack? That Rascal? Perhaps he got too proud for his own good and decided to follow the knights back into the clouds, waiting for the right time to avenge..."

"Whatever. We're going back to Catedral."

"Please do. But do no say that our job to recollect this particular Jinki has failed, yet. Just say, I am observing..."

"Fine... I know you too well anyways... Already scheming..."

Kuma Oso and Razlo Justicia flew away. Friagne Dientedeleon stared out into the desert.

"Hmmm... Yagami Hayate... heh, and I thought I wouldn't have any more fun after Graham retired..."

And suddenly, there was a reaction of magic high up in the mountains. A Jinki and its owner tried to hide from the world, but now the angry beast awakens to defend itself.

* * *

**Duel Five: Keep Yourself Alive**

Can you hear the tyrant's rave? Can you smell the napalm death?

**LET'S ROCK!**

* * *

A/N: I hope this chapter worked out for all of you...

And the next list of moves. Again not everything is translated word for word, but this was what I wanted:

Castigo: Punishment

constructor del arma: Gun Builder

cometa: Comet

ascensión/ ascendido: Ascension, Ascended

es so lassen wird geschrieben: So let it be written

alistar, jefe militar: Ready, Warlord

presa: Barrage


	5. Keep Yourself Alive

In the back room of her home, Lindy patiently drummed away on a digital keyboard, sorting through various analyses and read outs that Thunderseal at given, the Thunderseal on a table with various cables and scanners wrapping and arrayed about it.

In the middle of this work, the admiral leaned back in her seat, thrusting her arms high above her to try and squeeze away the fatigue in her shoulders.

"Tired, mother? You should take a break."

Lindy turned around to find her daughter standing beside her, both hands delicately holding onto bottle drinks, one of which were being proffered to her. She took it gratefully.

"Thank you. I guess now would be a good time for one."

Fate smiled, "I can imagine if it were Amy, she would still be frantically working, trying to unlock the secrets of this sword."

"Yes, Amy would have been a great help in this, but I can still do some."

"Of course."

"How are Nanoha-chan and Kiske-san?"

"Nanoha is assisting Kiske with work. It must be where he's from, but he's not very good, but..."

Fate giggled, before continuing.

"...He's unexpectedly popular at Midori-ya. Especially with the girls."

Laughter.

Lindy recollected herself with a knowing smile, "I can imagine why. Handsome, polite, slightly clumsy in an endearing way... _exotic."_

"It's a good thing Nanoha is with him, or he would get swarmed."

"He somewhat reminds me of you, Fate."

"Really?"

"Remember your first day at school?"

Fate did, and blushed at the still somewhat embarrassing memory. She tried to drink away the obvious comparisons between herself and the blond French, and turned back to the sword.

"Will you be returning the Thunderseal back to Kiske soon?"

"Soon. I'm nearly done with the analysis. Hopefully I can pull together some transmission package that can react to the other Jinki... or maybe ask Amy or Yuuno..."

Fate blinked, "React? A Jinki can react that strongly?"

Lindy returned to working through the files, "Not that strongly... it's more like they have a very unique signature that the Jinki mix into the magic they collect, and since the Thunderseal isn't very efficient in containing magic, it's also constantly bleeding this signature into the air. If I'm right, the others might be similar in this respect... and done."

Lindy's fingers came to a halt. "It's a rather rudimentary package, but it's long distance, and it works."

"So we might be able to find other Jinki then?"

Lindy keyed in a command to try the transmission package, just for a simple test, "I don't know what other planets they might be on, or how far away, so the return signal might take anything from days to-"

**SIGNAL GET! **

Stunned silence.

"...There's another Jinki on this planet?"

* * *

**Duel Five: Keep Yourself Alive**

* * *

The peaceful days were cut short in an instant, as Nanoha and Fate were rushed to location of the Jinki as fast as possible. Given it was in the same planet they were on, this was an easy matter.

It did not make the Himalayas any more appetizing to approach, especially the most remote location, as far from any sign of civilization as possible, even the smallest wood shack of an outpost. Cold weather, dry air, crumbling ground and stone...

Most of this, however, was no problem to a Barrier Jacket, as one of the most obvious and simplest things to protect a user from would be harsh environments. Thus, a light application of magic helped Fate and Nanoha, who otherwise were completely _not_ dressed for the high cold mountains, stay as comfortably warm as any hardcore climber.

The White Devil still gave a sneeze.

"I hope it's because of the air, and not because someone's talking about me..."

Fate surveyed the endless mountainous surroundings coolly for several seconds, before turning to her device.

"Bardiche, distance from the target?"

"**FIFTY MILES TWENTY DEGREES LEFT, SIR."**

"Right. Call it out again when we get closer, alright?"

"**YES, SIR."**

"Shall we go, Nanoha?"

They took to the air again, side by side. Amidst the whistling winds, Fate asked.

"Nanoha, did you ask Yuuno about the Espada yet?"

"Yeah, but he couldn't think of any document off the top of his head immediately. He said he'd call back when he found something!"

With that the last thing said, the two continued on through the mountains and bluffs. Then, after flying straight for near an hour, they found themselves close to their target.

And it wasn't Bardiche's announcement that brought their attention to that fact.

Before them, created by the joining of two mountains, was an incredibly steep valley. The entire surface of the ground in the area had been practically all blackened and charred. Sizable portions of the valley had even been burned to the point that all that was left was a cooled river of molten rock. What furious flame passed here, that could even ignite rock as if it were only tinder?

Nanoha and Fate passed concerned looks to each other, and simultaneously drifted lower to the ground, until their feet hit the ground. Raising Heart and Bardiche were held loosely, yet always ready to be drawn at a moment's notice at anything that could be a threat. With this air of caution, the mages paced their way across the valley, eyeing anything that might stand out from the roasted granite. The roving winds that wailed through the area seemed to be colder than anywhere else, even despite the Barrier Jackets Nanoha and Fate wore.

"There's so much magic that's been used here. I can even feel some diffused into the air. I only see this much magic being used on land revitalization projects..." Fate murmured.

"I can't exactly call this revitalization..."

Then, near one end of the valley, red and white poked out. Nanoha and Fate rushed to stand before whatever it was.

Driven halfway through one boulder was a sword. Its distinct red and whites reminded the mages of the Thunderseal Ky owned, but whereas that gave a sense of grace and serenity, with its curving construction and calming blues, this weapon was brusque and obtrusive. A coiling black thick handle was on top, with a little red gem sunken in its tip. From this, the grip went into a thick boxy red hilt, pitted and edged more like some sort machine. Out from the other side of the hilt came the white blade, rather than slim and sharp for slashing, it was wide and heavy for smashing. This blade was driven into the boulder, and in between the gaps, molten rock had bubbled out from between and cooled, completely trapping the sword in the stone.

Fate and Nanoha still continued to stare at this grossly, cruelly magnificent machine that had somehow, found itself all the way here in the middle of the mountains.

"Fate-chan... this is it, right?"

"It has to be."

"Let me see if I can get it."

Nanoha float-hopped lightly onto the large stone. Tucking Raising Heart under one armpit, she grabbed the handle by both hands and began to pull on the handle. Many times, Nanoha gave a throaty grunt for strength, and tried to pull up on the weapon, hoping it would give and slide out of the rock.

It didn't even budge.

"Fate-chan... this isn't working."

"Can you think of anything else to try?"

Nanoha stretched her back, "I guess there's no choice..."

Raising Heart fell into her hands, and a slightly mischievous gleam flashed across her eyes, "I'll just blast the rock."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? What if the Jinki reacts to the magic?"

"Neither of you are going to try it anyways." A new voice gruffly cut in.

Both mages' heads jerked towards the source.

Past the sword, up against the slope of the valley were a pile of stones. Regally and arrogantly slumped all over it was man, hand against cheek. Swathed all over his body was a robe, darkened and dirty until it was a mass of black and brown. Along with his deeply tanned flesh, and wild sharp shocks of brown hair that came out into a ponytail out the end, obscuring his eyes, save a small gleam of dried-blood red, the man was practically invisible against the desolate environment until he revealed his stony voice.

"W-who are you?" Nanoha managed to say.

"Sol fucking Badguy." He stood up, glaring at them, "Who the fuck are you? The girl scouts?"

Nanoha gulped as the burly royalty of the burned valley rose to his feet and tromped heavily toward the two mages. "I-I'm Takamachi Nanaha, and she's Fate Harlaoun, and were from the Time Space Administration Bureau..."

"Time Space? Never heard of that bullshit."

Fate frowned, but tried to explain, "Badguy, we believe that your life may be in danger. We believe it would be best to bring you and your device under protective custody-"

Sol gave a giant mocking, bellowing laugh, as he hopped onto the boulder to tower over Nanoha by several feet, even making the formidable White Devil suddenly feel very diminutive under the shadow.

"Protective custody? Me and my device? Hell, I knew it, you're here just to swipe the Fireseal out from under me again, huh?"

Nanoha stuttered, "W-wait, again? But we aren't here to steal anything-"

"Shut up."

A broad hand shot out from under Sol's dirty cloak. Grabbing Nanoha by the front of her jacket, he roughly threw her off, causing a yelp of pain as she landed on her back. Fate was immediately by her side, calling her name in concern.

Sol Badguy stood above them, the tyrant on his stone platform of speech.

"I don't care if your the TSAB, or the PWAB, or fucking Starfleet. The only reason your here is because you found out I'm here. The only way you found out is because of the Jinki. That means you're after all eight of them. It's always the same. The same sweet lies about how they're here to protect me, if I just hand the Fireseal over. But jerking the strings is some fat fuck wanting ultimate power. I've seen it all. Except for girl scouts."

Fate frowned. _Eight of them? Ultimate power? _"Badguy, it's not like that! We know about the Jinki but-"

"Then you're not under orders, just doing this under your own arrogance to take on the Corrupted Flame." Sol sneered. His hand wrapped around the inverted handle of the red and white sword. Instantly, the white cutting edge glowed with heat, and the stone steamed, rock melting again as the Fireseal was pried from the rock once more, sword for the immoral king. Sol tapped the upside down sword against his side lazily.

"Here's my deal. You're trespassing, and you better start running, because I'm coming to kick both your asses until they roll out of here."

Grabbing the dirty material around him, Sol flung it off him, revealing a heavy red jacket smeared with gold zippers and buckles, both done and undone in a hectic frenzy, wide sleeves baggily hanging off his arms, the word "FREE" printed on the outside of each. Sol's hands were adorned in thick red and black fingerless gloves. His pants were tight white denim jeans, tied down at various points with loops of belting as they headed down onto his red boots. From the mages angle, they could see a heavy red plate strapped onto Sol's forehead. On that, the words "ROCK YOU!" was carved in.

"Badguy! We aren't here to fight you!" Nanoha tried to plead one more time.

"Ain't that a shame, girl scouts? 'Cause I'm fighting you."

* * *

Not far off the flight path that the two mages had took to the valley of the tyrant, two more ghosts drifted towards the same area, intent on everything Nanoha and Fate were not.

Phoenix Entierro's eyes widened as she saw a giant spout of flame momentarily rise into the air in the distance, before disappearing.

"Aaroneiro Arleri-sama!"

"We see it. Someone has awakened something powerful."

"The TSAB? Could it be-?"

"Perhaps even the same two mages from the last time."

Phoenix, from under her hood, bared her teeth at that thought. Aaroniero didn't need to see it to feel the still lingering confusion in his charge, slowly being translated into rage rather than hysterical shock.

"Phoenix Entierro. You must keep the objective in mind, even if that Fate will be there."

"Yes, Aaroniero Arleri-sama... but please allow me to fight her if the opportunity arises. I have to find out."

The white masked was silent for a second before deciding, "Very well. But keep the objective in mind."

"Yes, the Jinki."

The two soared on, their arms reaching for their rosary and staff.

* * *

Nanoha, unfortunately, being the slower of the two, became first pick for Sol, as he chased after her on the ground, trailing after the White Devil in the air to smite her with magic fire. Hunched over, arms furiously pumping back and forth, he pitched forward like some sort of American Football player.

"Badguy! We're not here to fight you!"

Sol was already past words, and heard those ones already. Racing up the steep valley walls, Sol imperceptibly commanded the Fireseal to become awash with flames.

"Volcanic... VIPER!"

His blade above him, Sol rocketed toward Nanoha in the sky, his arm and sword on magic fire. Nanoha only managed to swing back in time to avoid being immolated by the rising fury, a protective barrier set up to allow the flames to glance off.

Sol, continuing on his flight path up past the hovering white mage, smirked. As the flames diminished, the red tyrant had already swung his body around, his leg lashing downward to catch Nanoha on the top of her head. The boot clanged loudly against Raising Heart, which was raised in a shocked block, but the force still forced Nanoha down to earth roughly.

Out from the corner of his eye, Sol also saw Fate close in, a large scythe of energy emerging from Bardiche, herself shouting, "Haken Saber!"

With an application of magic, Sol's body rocketed forward to meet Fate, blue trails of an Air Dash behind him.

Blades collided, Fate's agile technique impacting against Sol's lackadaisical brute strength, Sol dropping from the sky and Fate chasing after him in mid air. Eventually, the red berserker's fist reaared, back, heating up with influence from Fireseal, bursting into flame.

"SIDEWINDER!"

In a massive flare, Fate yelped as Defenser Plus intervened between the blazing comet of Sol's fist and her face. The resulting blast was still enough to knock Fate into a portion of the valley wall.

Coughing from the dust and shattered stone that filled the air, Nanoha still nonetheless managed to pick up Fate's fearful voice.

_(Nanoha!)_

_(I'm still good, Fate-chan... but it looks like he's not going to listen anymore.)_

_(We're going to have to make him listen then...) _Fate voice sighed with an echo.

_(It can't be helped-)_

Nanoha gasped at the thought, and jumped back into the air to avoid two heavy boots that slammed into the ground where she was, crushing rock into dust. Floating above the tyrant, Nanoha grimly looked down, "Badguy! I don't want to fight you, but if it's the only way we can get you to listen, there's nothing more I can do!"

"Ha! Your true colors come out! 'doing this for your own good' and all that shit? FINE!"

Words burned into the side of Raising Heart's jewel core, _"ACCEL SHOOTER."_

Sol's frowned at the sudden sight of Nanoha being orbited with glowing pink spheres.

"Shoot!"

One by one, the shots plunged toward the red man, who tried and succeeded in batting away several with his sword, until it began to overwhelm. Hissing, Sol swung his blade across the ground, scratching sparks creating a catalyst for his counter.

"Gun Flame!"

A series of rising pyres exploded in front of Sol, forcing Nanoha to wince away at the bright display. Bursting through the flames, Sol launched himself again at the girl, only to be met instead by Fate, who covered for her with the edge of Bardiche's scythe blade.

While the two fell back to the ground dueling, Nanoha backed away, prepping a new spell, her constant companion. An empty shell jumped into the air.

"_LOAD CARTRIDGE! DIVINE..."_

_(Fate! Get ready to move!)_

_(Right!)_

"_...BUSTER!"_

"SHOOT!"

Fate broke away from Sol, him only catching a confusing sight of her leaping into the air before he saw a massive pink beam consuming his vision.

The Divine Buster carried through all the way into opposite side of the valley.

Fate panted, and turned back to her friend, "Did you get him?"

"Raising Heart?"

"_IT'S A DIRECT HIT."_

However, at the end of the valley, that fact didn't seem to bother Sol Badguy in the least, who merely grumpily pried himself of the smoking hole he was seated in, brushing the pebbles that collected on his shoulders.

"Not bad, girl scouts. So you're actually worth something more than a morning warm up."

Both mages gasped.

"He... he just shrugged it off..." Nanoha muttered, dumbfounded.

Fate furrowed her eyebrows, thinking.

_There's something off about him... he's using essentially the same device as Kiske, but there's more power in it... he's not even fighting seriously. He has no stance, his hold on his sword hasn't changed, even. What's more... why is it that feels like his body is practically made of magic? That's not possible..._

"Nanoha, looks like there's no need to hold back against him..." Fate muttered, holding her device in both hands.

"Got it."

"**MIRADA CALIENTE."**

Sol jerked his head to the side, and jumped away from a thick pylon of white magic, that cut through the ground chasing after the tyrant.

Nanoha spun to face the source of the attack. Not too far away, familiar figures in white were approaching, one of them releasing the cleaving lasing from his spear-like Engine Device.

"Those guys again?"

Up in the air, Aaroniero Arleri hummed, "As we suspected. Phoenix Entierro."

"Yes?"

"I will handle the Jinki user and the white one. You distract the black and white one and make sure she doesn't support the other."

"Yes, Aaronerio Arleri-SAMA!" Phoenix ended with a war cry, breaking away suddenly to charge at Fate. Her device rapidly ingesting the magic left in the air by both TSAB mages and their target.

"Ataúd! Gear One!"

" **RESURRECCIÓN! ROCIADA DEL RELÁMPAGO: RESUCITADO!"**

Phoenic disappeared in a streaking bolt of amber lightning, which crashed into Fate head on. Even with the wide midchilda shield protecting Fate, the living electric arc carried her through the air.

Inside the lightning, Fate could make out Phoenix's hood, her grim mouth.

"You... what are you?"

Nanoha cried out Fate's name and tried to follow the pair that disappeared over the valley and into the next.

"Fate-"

Sol leapt past her vision. Realizing what was happening, she swirled around to meet the cutting beam that had grown larger since she had seen it, Aaroniero indiscriminately cutting anything in his path, either to defeat Sol or Nanoha.

"_ROUND SHIELD."_

The laser scored across the pink shield, before momentarily stopping.

"Attacking from behind... you're not very fair, are you?" Nanoha muttered, as Aaroniero spun his spear to a stop behind his back, it's first gear glowing, the spear head split into three as a trident.

"The nature of war is dominance, Bureau dog, not equality. Are you ready?"

"Call me by my name! It's Takamachi Nanoha!" She whined, bringing her staff to bear.

"We are Aaroniero Arleri."

Up on the valley wall, level with the two other mages, Sol snorted, "Hey, are we gonna fight or what?"

* * *

As soon as the region was clear of anything that remotely looked similar to Aaroniero Arleri-sama, Nanoha, or the Jinki user, Phoenix shoved Ataúd into the shield, sending Fate away. As the two drifted into the air, Fate quickly tried to ask, before words fell on deaf ears.

"Listen, why are you after the Jinki? Tell me what you're after! If I can help-"

"Shut up! You didn't answer my question!" Phoenix spat, "What are you?"

"What...?"

"What are you? A dream? An illusion? How come you exist? How does the Bureau know about me?"

"I don't understand-"

"Liar!"

Ataúd stabbed its massive edge at Fate's face. Throwing Bardiche up, Fate shut an eye against the sparks as the two weapons clashed.

"Ataúd! Eat that blade!"

"**ABSORCIÓN!"**

Whining and shuddering, Ataúd sunk into Bardiche's scythe blade with each passing moment. The moment Fate's blade snapped in two, she dove away, throwing back a broken Haken Saber to renew her weapon. Phoenix tilted her head slightly to let the pathetically whirring thing fly past her head, before summoning an Engrajei circle under her feet. Magic bands wound about her free arm.

Fate, falling, noticed what was happening, and called to her device, which quickly snapped back into its default Assault form and slammed back a cartridge.

"**SMASHER DEL TRUENO: RESUCITADO!"**

"_PLASMA SMASHER!"_

Their voices in unison, "FIRE!"

Two thick shafts of lightning magic crashed into each other, resulting a glaring flash of light. In the blinding few seconds, Phoenix twisted her head away to try and protect her eyes.

She felt something approach from behind. Hissing, Phoeinx swirled around, arms latched onto Ataúd that swung ahead of her.

It crashed against Bardiche's body, and Phoenix struggled against Fate once more, their devices sparking.

"What are you, Bureau dog?"

"...I don't understand what you're saying..."

"What sort of lie is that? How can you not know!?" Phoenix screamed angerily.

Yellow cores glowed. Another cartridge was fired.

"_PLASMA LANCER."_

"**LANCERO DEL FOTÓN: RESUCITADO."**

About the two, crackling electric orbs and tips coalesced around them.

Nanoha tried to ask Aaroniero the same question, as Glotonería's edged tips trapped Raising Heart's rod body between them, the ghost and the mage vying for strength. Aaroniero's voice, though calm and business like to the Nanoha, could not hold back some undercurrent of a sneer.

"You assist us? Bureau dog, what we desire would never be allowed by your organization."

"What?"

"Your Bureau will offer food, money, aid, shelter. But this cannot save all of us. What we seek is not a physical change, but one of thought. The thought of Outer Heaven."

"Outer... what?" Nanoha could only reply.

Then Sol flung himself out from behind Aaroniero, blade flaming.

Thrusting Nanoha away, Aaroniero Arleri swung about to stab at Sol's blade, trapping it as he had trapped Raising Heart.

"Feast, Glotonería."

The flames began to be drawn into the four gears of the Engine Device. Sol sneered and tightened his grip on Fireseal. Instantly, the already furious flames, being quelled by the hunger of Glotonería, grew even larger, beginning to consume the trident head of Aaroniero Arleri's weapon.

With an audible noise of shock, the ghost leapt away from Sol, letting him drop back to the ground. Retreating momentarily, allowed the other two now to concentrate on each other.

"Glotonería, your condition?"

"**TODAVÍA CAPAZ."**

"Good."

_The man was able to actually produce more magic than Glotonería was able to absorb at once... this requires a change in tactics. Still, it is fortunate that he gave us enough magic to..._

"Glotonería, Gear Two."

"**ASCENSIÓN!"**

From the two outer barbs of the trident, a blade shot out the back of each, the second gem down beginning to glow brilliant white.

With Nanoha, she chanted out another salvo of Accel Shots, powered by another cartridge. Sol continued to charge at the White Devil, even as the various magic attacks began to home in on him. Lunging under and about the various pink hued bullets that crashed into the stony ground around him. In a moment, Sol flung himself into the air, punching out with the handle of his Fireseal, legs flailing behind him. It connected with Nanoha's gut, and even with the magical padded protection, a sharp shock of pain erupted through her as she folded over the handle, strings of spittle leaving her mouth, while she flew and bounced off a valley wall.

Sol wasn't finished. Chasing after her with a war cry, Sol caught up with the falling girl to slam her into the wall again with the butt of his sword, and again, and it would have most likely continued if Aaroniero hadn't come from behind with a sneak attack to tag them both.

White blades amassed about the Engrajei ghost.

"**FLECHA MAJESTUOSA: ASCENDIDO!"**

Sol turned around and became buried in a series of sharp explosions. After several salvos, Aaroniero halted, seeing the smoke arising as a tactical disadvantage, and opted to absorb the cover that was accidentally created by magic rather than keep firing blindly. Knowledge was power, after all.

Before Aaroniero could command his device, Nanoha came screaming out of the smog, and slamming headfirst into the Espada's gut, sending them both tumbling across the ground, yelping.

Sol emerged, annoyed, "That. Fucking. Hurt."

The other two stumbled to their feet, grabbing their devices, and all their machines being constantly switching between aiming at one or the other.

"It appears We am making progress, then." Aaroniero simply retorted.

Nanoha, not being too good at retorts, or comments, merely opted to keep focused on her two seperate opponents, while trying to figure out how to gain an advantage over this free-for-all.

Sol spat, "You know, I was actually having fun for a while, but now the two of your are just being annoying. I'm smearing the two of you now."

Aaroniero Arleri and Takamachi Nanoha both suddenly felt an increase of pressure in the air, created by the sudden influx of magic focusing about Sol Badguy. They backed away.

As for the red swordsman, he glared at them from under his headband, eyes almost becoming luminescent red-yellow.

Rearing his sword fist back, he used his other to punch into the air.

"Tyrant... Rave... BETA!"

And the sword seared through the air, ablaze.

* * *

Fate dashed back, avoiding swings that also unleashed bolts of lightning with every turn. On Bardiche, the slide smoothly fell back, allowing the revolver styled cylinder to fall open, empty casings tinkling out and into the air. A speed loader slapped a fresh supply of cartridges in, before Fate jerked her wrist, snapping the cylinder back in place and allowing the slide to cover it again.

"_RELOAD."_

_Her speed keeps increasing... she somehow uses the same spells as I do, or at least uncannily similar... who is this girl?_

Fate frowned as the girl before her grunted heavily, hefting her large blade device onto her shoulders, the second gem having been activated for a while now.

_So far we've been keeping up with each other, but she's already reached my speed. If another Gear goes, I might even have to go into Sonic form... but that's too risky. I'd only increase my speed, but not by defense, which she's already beginning to consistently break through..._

_I need a distraction..._

Phoenix lunged at Fate again, and two danced about the sky, blades clashing. Fate, though she trusted Nanoha, was beginning to have worry gnaw at the edges of her professionalism. Her best friend, left in a free for all against a magic bleeding beast and a talented ghost. She needed to back her up as soon as possible, but in the mean time, she was stuck with this girl who kept asking the same question.

"How can you actually not know!? You're here! Surely you know why you're here!"

"I don't know what you mean by that!" Fate could only harshly retort.

As they broke away once more, Phoenix came in screaming, "I can't believe that!"

Fate dashed forward to meet her.

Then the valley beside them exploded in a giant blaze.

Phoenix, her love for her master too strong, lost her concentration as she looked into the distance in complete horror.

Fate, thought none the less worried, trusted her friend, and kept her stroke sure. Phoenix jerked her head at the last moment.

Haken scythe cut through fabric. A shredded hood floated away into the air.

The world stopped.

_No... No... No, no, no, no, no, this can't be..._

Even though Phoenix Entierro covered her face with her hand, snarling, it did not stop long blond locks from tumbling down, catching the wind and waving with the air.

"Why... Are you a dream? An illusion?"

Phoenix flung her hand off her face, heated raging tears falling off her face that was a younger mirror of Fate Testarossa Harlaoun's own.

"What are you!? What am I!?"

Everything around Fate blurred and went out of focus, save the figure in white that shared her face and everything else, down to the last gene. Like her counterpart many weeks ago, Fate's breathing began to go into tatters, trying to comprehend the shock, her body rigid and unmoving, eyes widened.

Alicia Testarossa snarled and turned to her device.

"Ataúd! Gear Three!"

"**PERFECCIÓN!"**

"No! Wait! Alicia! It's me-"

"**LANCERO DEL FOTÓN: PERFECCIONADO!"**

* * *

The war continues in the mountains, but their hands are shaking, their resolve shivering. How do I fight you?

**Duel Six: Living Dead Girl**

Do you remember, Aaroniero Arleri-sama? Do you remember the night you found me?

**HERE COMES NEW DAREDEVIL!**

* * *

A/N: I know what I'm doing.

Perfección/ perfeccionado: Perfection/ perfected

TODAVÍA CAPAZ: "Still able."

Mirada Caliente: Hot Gaze

... I think I need to make up more spells...


	6. Living Dead Girl

_I don't have much recollection of what happened before you found, Aaroniero Arleri-sama. Much of it felt too much like a dream to be real. All I saw was endless white of the room, sitting attached to the chair, barely aware of anything, just kept barely alive so I could do little more than be analyzed by machines periodically._

_The only two things I ever heard was the hum of machines and the off-hand remark I heard once about being found with another body. But that was all._

_When you came, with Kuma, I finally felt something different. Heat. Heat from the fires as the facility was attacked, heat from the two of you as both carried me away, and my eyes closed._

_The first time I ever slept. The first time I awoke, you were beside me, helped me to my feet, then into the air, let me meet the others who would become my family._

_I owe everything to you, Aaroniero Arleri-sama._

_But now..._

* * *

**Duel Six: Living Dead Girl**

* * *

The Tyrant Wave version Beta was essentially a giant circular shield of flame that shunted itself across the entirety of the valley, followed shortly by a giant river of fire that swallowed up everything that the vertical inferno somehow failed to incinerate.

Several cartridges exploded, while Takamachi Nanoha pointed her staff forward.

"_PROTECTION EX."_

As a large pink dome surrounded Raising Heart and its master, Aaroniero Arleri opted to blur backwards, relying on sheer speed to outrun the tidal wave of fire. In moments, the river halfway submerged Nanoha and her protection, leaving her grunting inside at the immense magic pressure form outside, squinting at the brightness that threatened to completely blind her. Aaroniero, despite his brilliant plan to outmaneuver the Tyrant Rave, found his his current speed, even up by two Gears, was all that was preventing him from the wall of fire moving forward a few more feet and crisping him in an instant. He couldn't even gain altitude to try and rise above it all. He didn't have time, while he was chased to the end of the valley.

Eventually, the fiery river subsided. So furious were the flames that it even dragged a small river of molten rock with it, leaving it to harden atop the area of Protection EX that had defended Nanoha, partly covering it. The dome disappeared, leaving a panting Nanoha behind a small rock shield.

"That was hot... are you alright, Raising Heart?"

"_I'M WELL, MY MASTER."_

"That's good..."

_This much magic on one side, and Engrajei on the other, absorbing it. If I don't do something fast, I'm going to run out of luck or cartridges. I have to do something. I have to do something decisive that will take both of them out at once, something that would out power even Badguy and something to keep Aaroniero from absorbing more magic..._

Going over moves that could possibly turn the tables on her two seperate foes, Nanoha performed an imperceptible finger movement that cause the gold magazine on the underside of Raising Heart to fall off with a hiss of steam, while a new one was slammed in.

"_RELOAD."_

Cautiously, Nanoha peeked over the top of her rocky barrier. In the distance, Sol was crouching down, balancing on his toes as he twisted back.

"Grand VIPER!"

And the red tyrant bored across the battlefield, carving and throwing away large chunks of stone in a ground traversing spear of fire, headed toward the White Devil. Gasping, Nanoha leapt away into the air, just as Sol smashed the rock wall into shards, and instantly following the mage upward in a Volcanic Viper that was incorporated in the last move. Narrowly being followed by the heated rising Pyre, Nanoha quickly summoned the fastest form of deterrent she could.

"_RESTRICT LOCK."_

Pink bands wrapped across Sol, and with a choke of shock, the man found himself trapped in midair, struggling.

"Damnit, this new age magic shit again..." Sol swore as he pushed against the bonds as hard as he could. Backing to a safe distance, Nanoha found the comment curious.

_He has trouble with a bind?_

"Raising Heart! Let's go!"

"_SHOOTING MODE SET UP."_

The normal curvaceous form of the Intelligent Device's head transformed into a sharper J-shaped configuration. Chugging back several more cartridges, Nanoha pointed her weapon at the immobilized Sol.

"Divine... Buster... SHOOT!"

Sol growled and pushed against his bonds in time to snap out of it, and narrowly avoiding the top of his head being singed off by the Buster as he dropped back to the ground. He continued to back away from each successive cannon blast of magic, if only for the fact that even though Sol could survive it, being pile-driven into the ground was still embarrassing.

Nanoha kept at it, while her mind was still quickly deducing the curious fact that Sol had trouble with binds.

_It must be the Jinki. It's basically an over sized magic converter, compared to what you can find inside a device. It lacks the complicated programming to perform feats like disabling restriction magics. Badguy had to punch through it with sheer force, which may be no problem, but the point of binds are to stand up to force..._

_If this is his weakness..._

"**LOBO HAMBRIENTO: ASCENDIDO!"**

Nanoha turned back to see a giant snake of white magic spearing out at her. She flung out her arm to throw out a Round Shield-

"Volcanic Viper!"

From the other side and below, Sol was in the middle of using Nanoha's distraction to try and blindside her.

The girl was almost tempted to roll her eyes. Fate and her little handmaidens seemed to be giving her a lot of work these days.

* * *

"Alicia! Stop! Please!"

Despite the words, Fate continued to flicker about in the sky, several lightning missiles chasing after her rapidly and leaving glowing trails in their wake.

Floating down below, from her firing point, the girl who shared Fate's characteristics was only more incensed by the older woman's words.

"Shut up! Stop calling me that! I'm Phoenix Entierro. I'm my own PERSON!"

Following that proclamation, several more batteries of Photon Lancers materialized into the air, an endless rain that pursued and eventually overwhelmed Fate, swallowing her in a several immense explosions. Unable to leave it there, Phoenix spun Ataúd about and held it above her head, growling to it to smite her foe.

"**SMASHER DEL TRUENO: PERFECCIONADO."**

Three Engrajei circle appeared before Phoenix, stacked atop each other and pointed at the fading fires in the sky. In succession, each circle unleashed a massive beam, continually expanded as the next unleashed its own attack, until the tripled cannon sheared through the smoke, burning it away completely.

Something came at Phoenix from behind.

"_STRUGGLE BIND."_

Lightning yellow chains quickly twined about Phoenix from behind, lashing her arms to her sides and her legs together. With a cry of surprise, active magics began to drain out into the binds, and Phoenix was dragged down at a frightening rate. She screamed instinctively.

Gentle hands grasped her by her back and knees, bringing a perilous drop into mere descent. Phoenix's eyes snapped open and found herself at the mercy of the woman who looked exactly like her. As for the Bureau officer, she had shucked her various cloth apparel for a form hugging outfit, as if built for speed above anything else.

"Are you alright, Alicia?"

"Shut up! Let go of me!"

As the two of them clattered back to solid earth, Phoenix struggled against her counterpart as much as she could. Eventually she succeeded in completely breaking free of Fate's grasp to ungracefully thump onto the ground. Fate winced.

"Who are you!?" Phoenix could only spit again with sheer contempt. The Bureau mage deflated at the intensity of the emotion, but attempted to answer, though she didn't know how. The shock, though not completely overriding her battle senses, still left her very dull in the head for some things like eloquence of speech.

"Alicia... you're really Alicia, right?"

"I don't know that name! My name is Phoenix Entierro! How is it you know me?!"

"But... you were... she said... Alicia-"

"It's PHOENIX! What part of it don't you get!?"

Fate vehemently shook her head, as if she couldn't accept the truth, despite the hood that masked Phoenix's face, the white she wore, and the people she associated with, "No! I know! You're Alicia! You're my-"

A hand slapped onto Fate's bare shoulder.

"Oi, chicky. Give the girl a break."

Fate's head jerked to look in shock. Her eyes took in an arrogant grin.

_When did-_

Something wrapped around Fate's waist and cinched tight, forcing the air out of her. Then all of a sudden she was pitched into the air, swung wildly in a wide circle several times to pick up speed, before being hurled into the valley wall opposite of Phoenix.

As for the Engrajei ghost, she stared wide eyed at her impromptu savior.

A brusque young man that carried everything that spoke of a westerner in his features, brown hair slicked back into controlled spikes, completely white shades, even the lenses, molded across his face, covering his eyes. His frame was hard to decipher, since it was covered with probably an extremely heavy white trench coat, whose defining features appeared to be the fact that it was sectioned into many hectic pieces and attached to each other by large gold zippers that criss-cross the cloth and left their large tabs hanging off. A button up shirt was left dangling its large tails over his waist and atop the blue denims pants that went into wide combat boots that were hardly tied up tight. While one hand was deeply entrenched in one of his coat's pockets, the other dangled out freely, showing black fingerless gloves.

From this open sleeve, the man's weapon emanated. Phoenix wasn't quite sure what to call it. A deep purple tendril, paper flat and little wider than the man's own arm, and tapering off into a sharp point. The strange appendage gave the impression it could probably cut _very_ well, and the strange object twined and moved as if it had its own life.

The man turned to Phoenix with the same grin, while the tendril disappeared into purple smoke that dissipated into the air.

"Yo. You alright?"

"Who are you?"

"An ally, a comrade." He said, while his index finger lengthened out into a smaller purple blade, which he flicked across Phoenix, neatly slicing the magic chains that held her down. "I'm an... admirer of the Espada."

She got to her feet, looking him over skeptically, much like a child in a mall at Christmas, unsure what to make of the fat red man who said he came all the way from the North Pole.

"What's your name?"

He shrugged, "I got many names. But for now, you can call me Arnage."

"Arnage?"

"Yeah."

As for Fate, she kicked away the last of the rubble that had partially entrapped her, before narrowing her eyes that the stranger that was conversing with her sister.

"Alicia!"

Arnage turned to look at the woman across the valley with a sort of teasing baring of teeth, predator ready to play.

"Looks like we gotta cut this talk short. Phoenix was it? I bet you wanna go back and help your friend in the other valley, yeah? Go help him. I'll take care of your doppelganger."

Phoenix was surprised by the offer, "You will?"

"No worries, just go. Phoenix. Love to do anything to give an Espada a hand."

Phoenix, though still skeptical, still found the plan agreeable. Even if she was able to help her master for even a minute...

The Espada girl took off, blond hair whipping behind her in the wind.

Fate instinctively tried to go after her, "Alicia, wait-"

Purple sliced through the air. Fate spun around, swinging away with her scythe. Instead, the flat tendril entwined itself around the length of Bardiche's body, about Fate's wrist, and tightly grabbed her forearm.

Arnage, on the other end, sneered, holding the length in one hand.

"Come on. Hang around a bit longer."

Impatient, seeing Alicia disappear, and Nanoha in increasing danger, because this sudden unknown came out of nowhere, grinning at her, Fate dove toward Arnage.

Arnage just gave a quick laugh, not unlike a bark, while he let go of the purple tendril to leave it hanging off his wrist, while his fingers slowly disappeared into long blades, the same color as always.

* * *

Aaroniero Arleri felt concerned.

A red gem core glowed, "_DIVINE BUSTER EXTEND."_

A white sword slashed through the ground, "GUN FLAME!"

A trident head, now spinning like a blender blade on it's third iteration, garbled, **"FLECHA MAJESTUOSA: PERFECCIONADO." **

Something had changed in the white Bureau dog's tactic, that Aaroniero was sure of, and it unnerved him. It meant she knew something he didn't and that always was a notice that the tables were about to be flipped over and smack him on the top of his tall head.

Essentially, Nanoha tried to completely ignored Aaroniero in favor for shooting at Sol. Shooting indiscriminately and releasing larger amounts of magic into the air than ever before. The tyrant with his burning sword noticed this, but didn't really bother with the possibilities other than more opportunities to plant the 'girl scout' into the ground head first, and began to throw out more fire in response.

Aaroniero shot from a distance as well, but the whole thing seemed to be going in ways... he wasn't sure what to make of it. The magic filling the air was becoming unsettling in the pressure.

It was as if the Bureau dog was purposely goading Sol into releasing more magic... but why would she? It would be counterintuitive to what Aaroniero assumed she knew of Engrajei magic, that the more magic used, the better. Of course, it wasn't completely true. Of course it took magic out of the air, but currently this was an extreme case. Even with Glotonería working overtime on its third Gear, the normal cap for Engine Devices, re-processing absorbed magic and storing it up again, it could only do so at so much a speed, no matter how fast, lest it just explode from trying to control so much energy at once. And with Aaroniero's device still releasing hefty attacks, Nanoha and Sol's combined magic release was just overwhelming to the point _there was too much magic in the air_, even for a Ghost to handle.

_What is she planning? What does she know that We do not?_

"Aaroniero-sama!"

The Espada turned back slightly to see Phoenix fly up from behind.

"Phoenix Entierro, your mask..."

"It got cut off."

"We had reservations when you chose only shadows for a mask... what has become of your opponent?"

"She's busy with someone else."

"Someone else?"

"I'll tell you later, but the important thing is that I managed to free myself up to help you!"

"A strange development... but very well."

"Aaroniero Arleri-sama, this magic pressure..."

"We know. The Bureau dog is trying something, though We do not know what. Phoenix, contain the Jinki user. We will completely subdue the Bureau dog before something unfortunate occurs. Go."

"Right!"

At a lower altitude than the breaking pair of Espada Ghosts, Nanoha continued to throw everything at Sol, who dodged about agilely from the energy attacks of all various sizes and speeds, ranging from flurries of Accel Shots, to Divine Busters. Breaking through the wall of fire, Sol threw his entire body forward in a downward stroke. Whether or not it was actually meant to cleave Nanoha in two, no one knew. Regardless, Raising Heart flashed.

"_FLASH MOVE."_

Nanoha easily shifted feet away in a series of after images, with Sol preparing to pursue.

Then a large mechanical sword, followed by its smallish white owner slammed onto Sol's back, leaving him in a deep crater in the ground. Phoenix's eyes were harsh, while her gold hair waved about her.

Nanoha recognized her, even if all she ever saw of her was a computer image on the bridge of the _Asura._

"You-You're Fate-chan's-!?"

Phoenix's murderous glare concentrated on Nanoha, stilling her, "You too...?"

The girl's grip on the Engine Device tightened. Nanoha gave a quick gasp, before throwing Raising Heart up.

"**LOBO HAMBRIENTO: PERFECCIONADO."**

Nanoha looked up. Just in time, she managed to throw up a protective barrier to ward off a fat white whip of energy that Aaroniero threw down from below, the other end attached to Glotonería's head.

"Phoenix. The Jinki user." Aaroniero simply reminded, before waving his whip about more, slapping it against Nanoha's defenses harshly, forcing her to back away.

As for the Espada girl, she would have retorted something if Sol's hand hadn't harshly grabbed her ankle from below. She gasped in surprise while Sol's voice, muffled in the dirt, grunted.

"It's like fucking magic cockroaches..."

With that, Sol quickly surged upward, while maintaining his grip on Phoenix's foot. With a strung underhanded swing, he hurled her away from himself, the Ghost bouncing across the ground.

Aaroniero turned back, half-tempted to avenge his charge, but maintained the mission above all else. Phoenix's job was to contain the Jinki user. His was to defeat the Bureau dog.

He would just have to do it very quickly.

The white devil and the white ghost traveled into the sky, Nanoha's adept control over Accel Shooter forcing Aaroniero to dash about to avoid the various lancing pink comets that continually came at him again and again. Every once in a while, Aaroniero managed to enter visible existence long enough to lash out with the long snaking magic.

Eventually, Nanoha's hand, covered with a pink aura, snatched ahold onto the white rope and held fast. Aaroniero pulled back on his spinning trident, but the girl did not budge, and neither did he while several pink spheres flanked him on all sides, prepared to lash out angrily.

"Aaroniero... what is Outer Heaven? Why can't you trust me to help you?"

"Outer Heaven... is the only vision of beauty left in this universe, which is now only ruled by ignorance, greed, and bigotry. We do not trust you, because you are just one more warrior aligned with the TSAB."

"We're not bad people, Aaroniero!"

"But are We bad people, Bureau dog? Who says you are good and We are not? Because you follow the rules that have been set down by your organization? Rules that will shift and become decadent and lose meaning in time? No, there is no need to assist us, Bureau dog. Espada and Outer Heaven have no need of barking, mindless minions that are tools of the corrupted."

"Fine! I'll just have to get you to listen to me!" Nanoha declared. Aaroniero, though silent, gave off an air that felt like he was going to laugh.

"Do as you believe, but We have won." Aaroniero Arleri freed a hand, long white fingers shifting into various hand gestures, before speaking to his device.

"Ignite."

"**SUEÑOS DULCES." **

Nanoha's face erupted into shock as she saw the coil she held in her hand begin to brightly glow. The line broke off from Glotonería, and Aaroniero disappeared while the entire length of Lobo Hambriento exploded.

The Bureau dog was silent as she fell out from the smoke. Even in mid-descent, Aaroniero did not forgive, as he blurred beside her and delivered a kick that sent her into the side of the valley. Following with a flourish, the Espada pointed his device at the hole in the wall.

"Glotonería."

"**LANZA DEL FANTASMA: PERFECCIONADO." **

A glowing silhouette that seemed reminiscent of Glotonería's own body materialized. Grabbing it in one hand, Aaroniero Arleri twisted back and flung it like a Javelin, which quickly grew in size until it became a sizable beam that proceeded to smash an even larger and deeper hole. No noise. No return fire.

"Glotonería, hit status?"

"**ERA UNA CONEXIÓN DIRECTA." **

"Good."

_Fare thee well, Bureau dog._

* * *

Fate glared at her opponent, watching him duck under a scythe swing and back away. He gave her as much length on the tendril that attached her wrist to his as she needed, but never broke it off. All through out, Arnage only for the most part played defensively, still only using one hand turned into swords for his response to her moves. He couldn't have been simply armed with that much of... whatever he was using. No, no matter how skilled, no sane fighter would have gone up against or for easily A-ranking mages and beyond with just what he had.

He was playing with her.

This thought was what incensed Fate even more. She wasn't even being delayed by a serious fight, but some man that was taunting her.

Her strokes came in faster and harder. He managed to bat them all away, even if only barely at times, and he only guffawed and jeered back in return, eyes hidden behind those white tinted sunglasses.

At a downward slash, Arnage reached forward and caught the yellow magic blade, which hissed ineffectively in the purple bladed grip of Arnage's hand. The two came face to face, glaring and leering.

"Who are you? Why are you working with the Espada?"

"Come on, can't settle with just Arnage? Well, I'm a person with many aliases, anyways, you can just pick another one if you don't like it. As for the Espada-"

The two struggled with the locked blades for an instant, twisting to and fro before ending up in their previous position.

"-Simple. I'm with the side that wins."

"We'll see about THAT!"

Fate's grip twisted, and with both hands along the length of Bardiche's body, ripped away from the white coated man's hold, knocking the hand away, before returning to slash at Arnage's face. He merely fell backwards, under the horizontal sweep, while kicking out with one foot, aiming at Fate's face. The awkward move only managed to stop in front of Fate's nose, obscuring her vision. It was lucky that Fate instinctively backed away, when purple came shooting out of the sole of the boot.

"_SONIC MOVE."_

Fate disappeared just as her head was about to be skewered through by a fat blade that aligned itself out from Arnage's foot to behind the heel. As the man rolled from his back to a crouch, he watched Fate, who was a good yard or two away.

"I like your moves, kid. Very smooth."

"The same can't be said of yours."

"Well, I'm sorry. Not everybody has an inner-Zorro in them, Testarossa Harloun."

"You've heard of me?" Fate icily asked.

"Hey, who the hell hasn't heard of the Three Aces? Nearly as big shit as the Three Admirals, yeah?"

"...Those abilities... what are they? It isn't magic."

Arnage stood up, smirking, "Know thine enemy? I'll oblige. These blades are manifestations of my mind, only as invincible as I think they need to be. I'm a psychic."

"A psychic?"

"I believe the closest TSAB term is a Psyker, but even that implies some sort of application of magic, if only on a genetic level. Me, I'm all old-school shit, even if it gives me headaches."

Backing this up, Arnage produced a inhaler from inside his coat, ignoring Fate for a deep breath of the aerosol-based pain curative.

"A psychic..."

"I know, I know. You're probably dying of mortification because you're getting your ass owned by a Mundane. Magicians, all alike... but no fear, you're not the first by any rate."

Arnage pointed his blade-fingers, which suddenly stretched out the distance, stabbing at Fate, who again disappeared, though the purple tendril that was firmly wrapped about her wrist kept minor track of her position as it waved about.

Fate appeared above Arnage, cartridges slamming away, while a Plasma Smasher began to form. Arnage snorted, while reaching for the purple length that was stuck to his wrist.

"You're insulting me, Testarossa Harlaoun. Just because I'm can't use magic doesn't me you should hold back either."

Yanking down hard, Fate gasped as she was thrown into the ground, the aim for her blast going ajar and leaving only a gaping stretch carved behind the psychic as the shot went wild.

Fate grunted as she threw a Haken Saber at Arnage.

_I need to get out of here. Nanoha needs me. But I can't break this material..._

Arnage charged forward across the ground again.

Sol continued to smash away the various jabs from Glotonería or heavy swings by Ataúd.

* * *

"You guys really are ruining what I was hoping to be another boring day." The tyrant grunted, before raising Fireseal above him to shield his head from both Devices as they crashed one atop the other. In this short opening, Sol bunched his fist tightly, fires surrounding it.

"Fafnir!"

The blazing fist thrust forward, only narrowly dodged by both Aaroniero and Phoenix. With enough space between them and Sol, he snorted, magical pressure increasing once more in preparation for a Tyrant Rave version Beta.

"Phoenix. This will be a large attack. Be prepared to dodge."

"Right."

Sol punched the air.

"Tyrant... Rave-"

"_RESTRICT LOCK."_

Several magic bands snapped tight onto Sol, trapping him in mid move and mid curse.

"_CHAIN BIND."_

Atop this, several more lengths of rope-like magics wrapped about the red warrior next, immobilizing him altogether.

"_HOLDING NET."_

Topping off the impromptu but complicated prison, a giant glowing blanket fell atop all the previous. Keeping Sol very much stuck. If binds from before were a trouble to him, this was unbelievably infuriating.

"Fuck!"

Aaroniero and Phoenix both took a step back, recognizing the pink hue that each binding magic took on.

"That means-"

Behind them, the valley wall exploded.

Nanoha, slightly dirtied, but for the most part, unaffected, gave a cool look, Raising Heart over her shoulder.

"She feinted defeat..." Aaroniero essentially spat out.

"Raising Heart! Let's do this!"

"_ALRIGHT, MY MASTER. COUNT TEN."_

Thick steams of magic began to stream out of the air in visible masses, all moving past the confused trio.

"_COUNT NINE."_

In front of the white devil, a growing sphere of disused magic recollected, continuing to grow in size.

"_COUNT EIGHT."_

"Aaroniero Arleri-sama! She's re-using the magic!"

"_COUNT SEVEN."_

"So this was what she was planning."

"_COUNT SIX."_

Neither Espada would stand for it. Both flung themselves across the air at the mage.

"_COUNT FIVE."_

"Ataúd!"

"**SMASHER DEL TRUENO: PERFECCIONADO."**

"_COUNT FOUR."_

"Glotonería."

"**MIRADA CALIENTE: PERFECCIONADO."**

"_COUNT THREE."_

The two beams surged down the valley to try and crush Nanoha before she could complete her spell.

"_COUNT TWO."_

Something black slowed to a halt in front of the two approaching attacks, irregardless of the whatever was stuck to her and dragged across the mountains to get here.

"Bardiche!"

Cartridges exploded furiously.

"_YES SIR. PLASMA SMASHER."_

"FIRE!"

"_COUNT ONE."_

Though the one attack, powerful as it was, couldn't stop both attacks, it still canceled Phoenix's in a spectacle of light.

Aaroniero blazing cutting beam surged on.

"_COUNT ZERO. MASTER, ALL READY."_

"Starlight Breaker... SHOOT!"

Nanoha smashed the head of Raising Heart against the glowing sphere that was contained by Midchilda seals. Instantly, it unleashed its bounty of bright pink destruction.

Fate leapt high into the air. Arnage, who had been dragged along for the ride, found himself trapped between one large blast, and one larger blast.

"Shit-"

Arnage disappeared at the exact point Starlight Breaker overcame Aaroniero's Mirada Caliente, crushing it into nothing and continuing on towards the Espada and the trapped Sol.

The valley of the tyrant was filled to the brim in magic.

Sol was smeared across the ground, and very much unmoving and unconscious. The Jinki, sunken blade first in the ground, was otherwise unharmed by any of the previous skirmishing it had just been though, while magical binds sealed its body from any further processing of the mythic energy. Nanoha grabbed it out of the ground.

Despite the victory, neither Nanoha or Fate celebrated. Instead, they merely looked upward.

Alica Testarossa, Phoenix Entierro floated above them, supporting Aaroniero Arleri with her body while his one arm was tossed about his arm. She glared at the two mages down below.

"You... you two hurt Aaroniero Arleri-sama..."

"Alica... I'm sorry, but, please-"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! I HATE YOU!"

Fate stopped breathing.

"I hate you! Coming into existence all of a sudden! Calling me by this name! I was happy, and now you're here, looking like me, hurting Arleri-sama... why are you here!?"

Silence.

"This isn't over... this isn't over..." Phoenix could only say.

"Phoenix Entierro. Let us depart for now. It is as you say. We are not finished."

The two took to the sky, Alicia turning back with a murderous glare.

Fate fell to her knees.

"Fate-chan!"

* * *

There is a lull. A tense silence. What happens now? Where do we go from here?

**Duel Seven: Phantom of Guilt**

My dear, what is it you really want?

**LET'S ROCK!**

* * *

A/N: Personally, not feeling this is my most brilliant. This, of all chapters, was probably the least mentally prepared. This'll probably be the worst it'll get, unless I do something extremely stupid.

Lobo hambriento: Hungry Wolf

sueños dulces: "Sweet dreams"

lanza del fantasma: Ghost Lance

era una conexión directa: "It was a direct connection."


	7. Phantom of Guilt

Sol woke up.

Or at least, he was sure he woke up. After all his eyes, he was quite sure, were open. So why was everything visible just a big black void?

In the process of figuring out this mystery, the deposed tyrant quickly found that his limbs were fast bound, arms behind his back and tight fast strapped against his body, his legs in front of him also lashed together with several binds. It smelt of magic.

As Sol would put it, 'New Age Magic Shit'.

Then he remembered, that girl scout in white collecting all the magic, shouting something...

Great, perfect. Sol realized his good stint of hiding in the mountains had finally ended, captured by a wussy girl scout. Here he was, probably on some ship, being hauled across the galaxy to whoever was stupidly greedy enough to want the Fireseal...

The opposite side of where Sol was seated opened up, revealing a womanly silhouette in the bright light.

"Ah, you're awake. I've been told you're... Sol Badguy?"

Sol snorted, "And who the hell are you?"

The lady gave a smile that, for some odd reason, failed to belie any devious intent, "Lindy Harlaoun. I'm the mother of one of the 'girl scouts', as you apparently put it."

"What, is that supposed to make me feel bad or something?"

"Actually, on the contrary, I feel somewhat bad that it had to come to this... but Fate and Nanoha told me you weren't willing to hear them out without... suitable persuasion beforehand."

"Hmph. So what high-tech fortress you've got planned for my incarceration, huh?"

"Well, I'm sorry to break it to you, but the furthest we brought you was to my home in Japan."

Sol, unable to come up with a general retort to such homey locale as his prison, settled for another grunt.

Well, it beat the fucking Himalayas, at any rate.

* * *

**Duel Seven: Phantom of Guilt**

* * *

_Nanoha... I just... just give me a little time... I need to... I just need some time by myself..._

It was with that line, some two or three days ago, that Fate departed from her best friend.

Ever since then, Nanoha had heard very little from her. Not that the white mage could blame her for that.

"_SHUT UP! SHUT UP! I HATE YOU!"_

Nanoha gave another great sigh, slumped over behind the glass counter of Midori-ya, her shadow falling over the various cakes on display. It was that time in the afternoon when everybody was busy at school or at work, when there was no more excuse of lunch to head out for cake. Thus, there were few customers, none that were actually bothering to sit down, rather, just pass by to grab some treat in a box.

So Takamachi Nanoha sat, while Ky Kiske tried to look busy.

"It's alright, Ky. You can take a break, if you want."

"But it would be rude of me to neglect my duties, since this is the least I can do to-"

"It's alright, Ky! It's not like you can work hard when there's no customers."

"Well... very well."

Nanoha grinned for a while, but eventually fell back into a sort of lethargy, while the Ky and Nanoha watched cars pass by in the streets.

Another deep sigh. Ky turned from the window to his friend, "Nanoha? Are you alright?"

"I am. It's just... Fate-chan..."

Ky hummed a noise, showing he understood instantly what the white mage meant, "Yes, that's correct... from what you were willing to tell me about Fate. Her... sister?"

"Something like that. I'm sorry I can't tell you everything, but Fate-chan's life is... complicated. Some thing's should be best told by her."

"It's alright. Discretion for your friends is valuable. Still, what you told me is... distressing. You said that Fate's sister passed away, yet..."

Nanoha nodded tiredly, "Not even magic brings back the dead. Fate-chan's taking it really hard."

"I understand. Fighting one's own family... how horrible."

They sat on that note a little longer, and looked out the window. Ky finally said it.

"We should talk to her. I don't like sitting around like this. I don't think you like this either."

"But Fate-chan said she needed time..."

"But we can't just leave her like this without trying to help..."

A few more minutes passed.

"Come on, Nanoha. We need to go to Mrs. Harlaoun's home anyway. I need to get the Thunderseal, and we also need to see if your other friend has found anything in his library. Come, let's go see Fate."

Nanoha, though somewhat apprehensive about invading Fate's imposed distance, nonetheless sighed and agreed.

* * *

Flower fields, sitting in front of her kind mother, watching her smile and weave crowns.

_Look! Isn't it really pretty Alicia? Come closer Alicia! There. You're so cute, my lovely Alicia..._

Memories that weren't hers, but now apparently only hers now. The injustice. Fingers digging into bedsheets harder.

_Fate! I'm counting on you to tutor me until the next exam! Together with you, taking shelter in the rain! It's alright. After all, I'm your big sister..._

The dream never tasted so sickeningly sweet. Cast off for a more beautiful and worthy truth, but still...

_You were nothing but a doll made for my consolation, while I was working on bringing Alicia back to life. I'll tell you something good, Fate. Ever since I created you, I've always hated you!_

_Why... Are you a dream? An illusion?__What are you!? What am I!?__I hate you! Coming into existence all of a sudden! Calling me by this name! I was happy, and now you're here, looking like me, hurting Arleri-sama... why are you here!?_

She bit back something and ducked her head further into the covers of her bed, hiding away from the light of the sun coming through the window, confusion whirling about her. Why now... why now? Why now? Just as the past was quieted... it all erupts again into bitter hatred.

Even after some seven years, being even a "T" of a Testarossa brought so much difficulty.

"F-Fate-chan? A concerned voice came. Though it was a different pitch from a long time ago, it was the same tone of genuine worry. Fate tussled about to turn and face her worried familiar, Arf childlike form peeking over the bed with a quivering face.

"Arf...?"

"Are you alright?"

Fate didn't want to lie. Fate didn't want to worry everyone. "No. Yes."

"Huh?"

"I'll... get better..." Was all Fate could manage.

"Fate-chan, please... this isn't good for you... Nanoha and Kiske are here... you should see them!"

They were? Well, of course... a meeting was inevitable. Nanoha was her best friend, and Kiske was by no means a stranger either. But still...

"Al-alright... I should try to see them..." Fate managed to say, wearily sitting up in her bed. Arf seemed to cheer up at the motion.

Bleary eyed and heart stricken as she was previously, she managed to put up a reasonably normal face when she entered the living room, where Lindy was just returning Ky's sword back to the knight. Nanoha stood nearby.

"...I'm grateful that you've taken care of Thunderseal so well and... Fate!"

"Fate-chan!"

Fate gave a smile that seemed to make the joints of her jaws screech in protest, while her friends rushed up to her.

"Hey."

"We're worried for you! You haven't contacted us in a while!" Nanoha whined.

Fate apologized but still replied, "I've been... occupied..."

The mood dulled then. Sadness made a great fortress when one needed it. Lindy sighed, but had no choice but to allow Fate her way. Time would tell, but you couldn't force these things. The good mother and admiral broke it up with good cheer.

"Should we all take a seat? Scrya-kun is expecting us."

As they all sat on the long black couch that was nestled into the corner, the large holographic display came up once more. This time, it had a live-feed from the TSAB's great archive, the video showing the face of Nanoha and Fate's oldest (and currently bespectacled) friend.

Yuuno Scrya fixed his glasses, "Sorry, did I make everyone wait too long?"

"Don't worry about that!" Nanoha waved away, "We asked you a lot of thing suddenly! There's no problem!"

"I know... but it just sounds like you're in the middle of something big, so I hate to delay... but I've looked as you asked, for anything about Espada, Outer Heaven, or Jinki."

Lindy prodded, "And?"

Yuuno shrugged, "I'll start with the Espada. There's something that bothered me..."

"What?"

"I looked all over the Library, but I couldn't find a real report on anything about the Espada you told me about, but I did find dozens of unofficial memos discussing people that fit the general description about Engrajei users that wear white. However it was mainly from the upper ranked Bureau officers, which eventually sifted down here over a long period of time. All of them were also related to Lost Logia cases."

Fate narrowed her eyes in though, "No official statement... but acknowledgment... could it mean the Bureau is trying to keep the Espada a secret? That's bad..."

"Why?" Nanoha asked. While not new to the idea of bureaucratic politics, she was still didn't get the full meaning of some moves that seemed illogical to her.

Lindy sighed, but not at Nanoha, "One way you could see information supression... is that Espada might actually rival the Bureau's military strength, and rather than cause a public panic..."

"N-no way!"

Yuuno cut in before Nanoha could get any more hysterical, "It could also be just that your Espada work so infrequently that the Bureau never really caught on... it could be both. These documents are dated years apart, the earliest at the initial years of the Bureau's inception. All I know is that from what I've been reading, they've been going after Lost Logia for a very long time."

Nanoha asked again, "Um... Yuuno-kun... what about this 'Outer Heaven'? One of the ghosts mentioned it... like it was some sort of belief."

Yuuno adjusted his glasses for a moment, "That, yeah. I definitely found something about Outer Heaven as well... it's a little weird though..."

"What do you mean, 'weird'?"

"Well... Outer Heaven is basically an ancient theoretical socio-economic system. It supported the idea of a civilization created and run by warriors."

Ky, whose morality was run on chivalry and peace, seemed repulsed by it, "Who would want to create a nation that's only intended destroy?"

"It was a very influential soldier who unveiled the concept in the first place, from what I've read. He thought that the universe was running out of places for soldiers, or that soldiers were being unfairly manipulated by the government. Hence, a nation where soldiers could do what they could do best. There was several attempts by multiple people in the past, including the founder if the theory, Zanzibar Land, Heaven's Army, Outer Haven, but they never took off."

Nanoha asked, "Why?"

"Because the nation would practically need to constantly have a war on hand in order to maintain that kind of military discipline and get revenue. With organizations like the Bureau keeping the peace, it can't be done."

"But Aaronerio said he wanted a vision of Outer Heaven..."

"The Espada sound like an army enough, from what I've seen of them..." Fate muttered, "Does that mean they're trying to start a war?"

Lindy frowned, "That would explain their collecting all the Lost Logia... they must have intended this for a while... Yuuno-kun, did you find anything about the Jinki, then?"

"That... no. Nothing at all. Nothing matches what you've described."

Sighs and helpless shrugs. Still no clue what the Jinki had to do with anything.

Still, Ky seemed somewhat pleased, "We were able to at least figure out what these people are intending, and that's better than nothing. It's merely a matter of finding more clues..."

That was when a request for a video conference from Yagami Hayate came.

* * *

The story that Vita's betrothal to some smiling weirdo – and newest passenger aboard _Lancelot_ – was only narrowly averted by a convenient attack by enemy mages got passed quickly to the other members of Wolkenritter, and soon after that other crew members aboard the starship. Hence good-hearted, but by no means no less irritating jokes were began.

Not only that, Vita was quickly being found identified by "Wifey" as well. Vita of course, did not take this in stride, and proceeded to use every opportunity to pound Anji Mito, who continued to gaily smile and ride the wave of popularity brought on by his bizarre relationship with the Iron Knight. The pounding in itself, only served to make the jokes even more hilarious, as a loving pseudo husband-wife relationship seemed only-

"IT IS NOT OBVIOUS! ALL OF YOU SHUT UP BEFORE I SMACK YA ALL ONE!"

The cantine quickly emptied itself of anything that wasn't Wolkenritter or Anji Mito (But only because Anji was too stupid to catch the hint).

Vita ground her teeth at the cantine exit, daring even the door to make any more comments.

Shamal could only helplessly smile in hopes it would somehow aid in Vita's defusal, though, having spent the years she had with her, she very well knew it was probably a futile gesture.

"Now, now, Vita-chan, I'm sure this is just a passing thing. It'll wear itself out... eventually."

"Tch, yeah right. They'll probably keep at this until I tear my hair out. The only way to handle it is to get to the root of the problem..."

"AH! You're absolutely correct, Vita dear! Let us disprove the existence of these rumors... with a nice big weddi-"

"I DIDN'T ASK FOR YOUR OPINION, YOU IDIOT!"

Anji Mito moved to the far end of the long table away from Vita. The man would have held up a fan to fend himself from the vengeful glare of the minuscule bruiser, but now that the Zessen were confiscated and in cold storage, all the man could do was pitifully mime the actions with empty air.

Zafira, as a wolf under the table, bit at the air in a motion evocative of a sigh. Signum likewise shrugged.

"He's seemed to have taken quite a liking to you, hmm?"

"You make it sound like he's a pet..."

"You're always calling him an 'idiot'. It's practically a pet name."

_"Signum..."_

Hayate couldn't help but smile for a second at the antics. Reinforce Zwei sighed.

"They're so different when they're not working..."

"It just shows they can separate work and play, right Rein?"

"I guess..."

She of the Night Sky clapped her hands to dismiss the tension. A move she learned of Alisa, after seeing her effectively use the motion to break up many a ruckus during school, "Come on everybody! We can't have everybody all upset right before we talk to Nanoha and the rest."

Vita immediately perked up, "We're talking to Nanoha?"

"I figured now that we have time, and since they're on leave, we might have a chance to chat anyways. You know, tell them how we've been doing?"

"Great! I can tell her and Harlaoun how I took on those white losers!"

"And how you have a man trying to tie you to his hip?"

"Shut up, Zafira."

"Come on now, you two..." Hayate pleaded like an exasperated mother (One way to see the truth, really), while Reinforce helped open up a floating screen that showed the state of the connection. After a few seconds, Hayate was met with not only Nanoha's face, but also several more of the gang in the Admiral Lindy's living room, including some... blond guy.

"Uh... hi? Did I catch you all at a bad time?"

Nanoha, on the other side, frantically waved that notion away, _"No, no! We were just talking with Yuuno-kun as well!"_

"Then... I was interrupting something?"

_"No, don't worry! You just caught us as we finished anyways... besides, it's good to hear from you anyways! You want to talk to Yuuno-kun as well?"_

"Well... I guess I could say hi..."

The conference became a three-way feed between the Infinite Library, Lindy's home and the Lancelot. Hayate made her appropriate salutations to the former Ferret, while others from the Wolkenritter began to pile about Hayate's head and shoulders to get a chance to say hello to their peers from across the galaxy.

Vita also busied herself kicking Anji away from anywhere that could possibly get him detected by Nanoha on the other side.

"By the way Nanoha, who's your new friend?" Hayate asked, pointing to the lone male. Rather than Nanoha, the man introduced himself in ways both ridiculously regal and respectful. Especially with that bow...

"_I am Sir Ky Kiske the Thirteenth. I was introduced to Nanoha and Fate under unusual circumstances, but have come to truly enjoy their company. Any friend of theirs is easily a friend of mine. A pleasure to meet you."_

Hayate chuckled, "Ah, no need to be so proper! We're all friends here, right? I'm Yagami Hayate, either way, I should let you say hi to the others..."

Thus, Ky was found saying his greetings to some five other women and another family dog as well, before Lindy spoke up again.

"_So, Hayate. Is there anything particularly you wanted to talk about? Or were you just checking in?"_

"No, just wanted to talk..." Hayate sighed, "We had a really annoying mission."

Nanoha piped up again (Funny, Fate seemed quieter than usual... something to ask later, perhaps, when the situation allowed itself).

"_That's right! You were on a Lost Logia case. How was it? Apart from annoying?"_

"We met some resistance, but we pulled through fine. We also have the Lost Logia... along with a guest... which I think it would be best if you don't meet him right now-"

"Yeah! He's insane! Nanoha, you should have seen us! Kicking those guys' butts! Meister really sent them packing!" Vita eagerly also added, jumping into view of the screen for all to see the knight.

"_That's good to hear. The usual hoodlum mage types you have to scare off with a show, Vita?"_

"Ha! Hardly, they were some hardcore stuff, I'll admit, but nothing we knights can handle!" Vita self-applauded. Hayate shrugged, filling in the blanks.

"Actually, they were very well organized, and were tough opponents... they might be trouble for the Bureau later..."

"_What were they like?"_

"Wore lots of white... the one I fought said he was from... Orden de la Espada Inutil or something..."

"_E-Espada!?"_

Hayate's comrades on the other side of the screen passed looks of disbelief, horror, and looked between each other uncomfortably. Hayate had a niggling feeling she had just stepped on a land mine of disastrous proportions.

"Uh... you know them?"

Yuuno, who had be patiently listening to this all, coughed discretely.

_"I think it would be best if you knew what they've been doing on their leave... right guys?"_

Nanoha, on the other screen, laughed nervously, before attempting to explain what had occurred in the recent times, with helpful comments interjected between by Lindy, who knew how to talk "Commander" to Hayate.

Vita's conclusion, "Those freaks want to start a war!?"

"_Unfortunately, that seems to be what it looks like so far."_

Signum was beside her mistress, serious, "And these... Jinki are a vital part of their plan? How?"

Yuuno shrugged, _"That's the million dollar question. There are better machines to incite conflicts, and with Lindy's data, I don't see what a few over sized magic converters can do."_

Vita snorted, before twisted her head towards her 'Darling-Dear', "Oi! Idiot! What do you make of it? You think the Zessen are Jinki too?"

Anji Mito, who had for a while, a very serious thoughtful look, suddenly erupted into a facade of complete stupidity, "Huh? You said something?"

"I said, you think the Zessen could be Jinki?"

One of Anji's eyebrows raised, "Jinki? What's that?"

"You-! Have you even been paying attention?"

"Oh! Sorry, dear! But I was thinking so hard about how we could have done our-"

"Oh, can it!"

The Wolkenritter looked at the spectacle, before sighing and turning back to the video conference, Shamal this time commenting, "I've looked over the Lost Logia, but it honestly seems to really have no function I can see, even though it does radiate magic signals.

"_It just doesn't make sense... Hayate, for now, I need you to be careful. We may not know what these machines are capable of, but if Nanoha and Fate's battles have told me anything, it's that these Espada people aren't the type to give up. I'm sure they'll be back very soon."_

Hayate sighed, "And here I was hoping for a little peace with you guys... but yeah, I'll alert the captain of the ship to be careful. Are you guys okay over there?"

Nanoha's face scrunched up, trying to figure out an appropriate answer,_"Well... For the most part... Don't worry about us, Hayate-chan! You need to protect yourself until you're safely at the TSAB Headquarters!"_

"Don't worry, I'll begin right away... I guess it's time to close our conversation. Take care of yourself, alright? It'd hate to see you unable to take your own advice!"

Like that, the talk broke up, with an air of seriousness. Halfway through, a nice chat turned into a war council. Signum watched her mistress close the screens with a loud groan.

"...Orders, meister?"

"Give me a sec..." Hayate took the time to rub the bridge of her nose, processing info, coming up with the beginnings of plans... "All we can do is wait for the first move... I'm going to have a word with the captain. Signu, could you check on the Zessen again...? The rest of you make keep an eye on him."

Hayate stepped out of the Cantine, voluntarily followed by an excited Reinforce, who floated behind cheering "Don't worry, Meister! We'll take care of them again if we have to..."

And as the door closed on the view of Signum's back, who exited next, there was an odd silence in the eatery.

"...Shougi, anyone?"

"Seriously. Shut. up."

* * *

Nanoha and the others watched the screens collapse into nothingness, and the living room attain its state of seeming mundaneness once more.

Lindy hummed, "Possibly another Jinki... how many are there then...?"

"...Eight..."

The Admiral turned back to her daughter, "What?"

After so many days, buried under tumultuous emotions and scathing comments, Fate remembered something important, "There were eight of them... he said that..."

"Fate, who?"

"Sol Badguy. The one we have detained her currently. He said some things... like he knew about the Jinki... if you asked him-"

* * *

And thus, Sol found himself looking up and Lindy, tied up in binds, hiding his irritation under arrogance and bravado.

"Hmph. So what high-tech fortress you've got planned for my incarceration, huh?"

"Well, I'm sorry to break it to you, but the furthest we brought you was to my home in Japan."

"Tch."

"Mr. Badguy, I need to ask you about what you know about the Jinki. It's important you answer truthfully. The security of many worlds depend on it."

"The security of the fuckin' universe depends on me not."

Lindy frowned the slightest, but made no other obvious motion of displeasure.

"My daughter told me you mentioned about there being eight Jinki, and something about power. What is so important about the Jinki, Mr. Badguy? What is their secret?"

"Like I'd tell the first dumbass who comes through the door asking nicely."

"Badguy, those men in white who you also fought... they're trying to start a war, and the Jinki are instrumental in their plans."

"Boo hoo, does that make me trust you guys anymore?"

"No, but this is the situation as it stands."

Sol snorted.

"Badguy... why don't you trust us? What is it about the Jinki that is so dangerous?"

"Believe me, the moment anyone knows about the secret, you, or someone else starts getting ideas."

"Those men in white already have the idea."

"So what? The less people the better. So what would happen if you guys won, knowing what'd I told you? Not use it? Tch. Knowledge is power, so ignorance is bliss."

Lindy sighed, "I'll let you go now, but I'm not giving up until I have a real answer, Sol Badguy."

"Heh, go ahead and Not Give Up. I've got all the time in the world... I'll tell you this, though..."

The admiral turned around to face Sol's grim glare, "...those guys... if they're really serious about getting the Jinki... I'm sure that what they're starting... a war is probably going to be an understatement of the century."

* * *

The day slowly began to creep down to sleep under ground. Though Nanoha tried to talk to her Fate, the mentally shell shocked girl didn't seem to want to respond immediately.

Fate eventually reluctantly stood up, "Excuse me, mother, Nanoha, Ky..."

Walking off to sit and mull over things in her room some more... Nanoha stood as well.

"Fate-chan-"

"I'm sorry... I can't see you yet... not yet..."

The door shut. The white mage turned to Lindy and Ky.

"She's still taking it very hard. I can't blame her. We can only wait." Lindy offered.

"B-but..."

She shook her head gently, smiling, "Nothing can't be done if you force things."

With some air of dejection, Nanoha could do little more than accept, say her best wishes and goodbyes to Lindy, and leave.

* * *

The next morning, Nanoha woke early.

It was those kinds of mornings, where she was up thinking too much. Of course, seeing her best friend sad also made her sad... but nothing could be done?

Those kinds of mornings, Nanoha went to the dojo. It helped the first time, it helped many times, just watching her siblings go through katas. A strange medicine, perhaps, but it always allowed some sort of insight to form.

Inside, rather than the usual sight of her siblings, was just Ky. Nanoha said his name with just as much surprise and confusion.

"Nanoha? You are up early."

"It's just one of those mornings... where are Kyouya and Miyuki?"

"Not sure, exactly. They said they had other things to take care of, so I could have the dojo for myself this morning."

It made sense. Ky was a real knight, if not experienced. It only followed he had practice with a sword style.

"But... is the equipment we have here alright?"

"A little light, compared to the practice swords I usually used, and a few other things... but I can make do. It is lucky enough your family practices martial arts as well, right?"

"Ky... is it alright if I watched you practice?"

"Huh?"

Nanoha shrugged, "I usually just watch my brother or sister on mornings like these... unless you want me to leave..."

Ky flushed up as he figured an answer, "Well, no... it's alright... I just don't think it'd be very interesting... but alright..."

So Nanoha watched Ky. Ky and his practicing. Ky and his very strange stance, sword above his head, standing sideways, leg and arm in front stretched out, while he broke into methodical slashes, vertically and horizontally.

And Nanoha kept watching. Then finally:

"Ky?"

He let his stance get interrupted, and retreated into a normal standing position, "Yes?"

"What should I do...?"

"About Fate?"

"Yes... I don't want to see her like this... but she won't let herself..."

Ky shrugged and scratched his head, "I... I wouldn't really know... I never had too many friends... or a friend that I was as close to as you two are..."

"Hmm... I know Lindy's right... that sometimes the best thing to do is wait... but..."

"I know... I don't like seeing Fate like this either..."

The quiet of the morning crept in through a window. A bird chirruped. Ky took a few light hearted swings.

"There is one thing I think you can do. Something only you can do and do best, Nanoha."

"Huh?"

"Wait beside her. You two are close, right?"

"Yeah, but..."

Ky smiled, "There were times when I was angry or sad, and I didn't want to talk to anyone, and told everyone to go away. My mother and father go away... five feet. We may have to wait, Nanoha, but we can also remind her we are here for her... you are here for her, even if she doesn't want it immediately."

"Ky..."

"I said too much?"

Nanoha shook her head, "No... you said something good, Ky."

"Oh... that's good."

* * *

It was so then in the early morning, where Fate watched the morning still rise from the rooftop of her apartment flat, that she saw Nanoha fly in as well.

"Na-Nanoha...?"

Takamachi smiled as she dismissed her Barrier Jacket and Accel Fins, "Are you alright?"

"...Yeah..."

"That's good..."

And Nanoha plunked herself beside Fate without question. It was those kinds of things that didn't seem necessary to ask for permission anymore. So they sat next to each other in silence, watching morning mist burn away.

"Nanoha... I'm sorry... I've been staying away from you..."

"It's alright... I should be sorry for leaving you alone as well..."

"That isn't your fault. I forced you away..."

"It's been that way a lot, hasn't it, Fate-chan? Whenever you were sad, you wanted to handle it by yourself, and didn't let anyone in until you found a solution..."

"...Alicia..."

"We're all worried about her, Fate-chan. It's not just you!"

"I know... but why is this happening? Now? How? Alicia... why is she with them...?"

"She must be as confused... Fate-chan, we'll get the answers in time. We just have to find her again, and ask her, face to face, why she's doing this? Then we'll be able to understand each other..."

"Nanoha..." Hearing those words made Fate feel better in ways, but still, seeing her own wine red eyes glaring back at her, her own sister hating her...

"I hope you're right..."

* * *

And deep in the darkness of space, there was Catedral.

In a small side room out of the way of the main facilities, several Ghosts met, reclining on chairs or standing stock straight.

Aaroniero Arleri's fingers were intertwined in his lap.

"Friagne Dientedeleon... you mean to tell Us that you have failed to acquire the Zessen?"

"Not quite... I just... used the round to observe the opponent's move for a while. I'll recoup losses... with interest!"

Kuma Oso snorted through his bulbous mask, "That's just the same damn thing under a lotta talk. If you're so sure about this, go get it now, stupid Midchildian cardsharp."

"Ah, ah! One should never force his hand until you have everything perfectly the way you want it. Then... a showdown..."

Razlo Justicia neither objected nor agreed, but sat watching everything noiselessly. Phoenix Entierro as well, fumed under her hood.

"That means currently, all remaining three of the Jinki are under Bureau control... though there is a possibility that two of them are located within that previous city... it appeared to be under some sort of Bureau influence..."

"We're running out of time, Aaroniero Arleri. Others will be getting impatient for results." Kuma reiterated.

"True... but We do not with to resort to demanding additional support just yet... not with other members already on other quests... No more delay, this group should begin preparations for a raid to recapture the Jinki."

Friagne tilted his head in amusement, "Oh? And this plan would consist mainly of...?"

"We would like the three of you to track down the Zessen once more. You are following its location, correct?"

"The location of the mistress of pain that had it last, correct. Most likely, they're on the same vehicle as we speak."

"Very well. You mentioned your opponents were the Wolkenritter. Bring Kuma Oso and Razlo Justicia once more. They are more dangerous."

"What about the two of you?" Kuma asked.

"The two of us will employ a diversionary tactic. We will distract the two mages. Phoenix Entierro will collect the Jinki while the mages are busy combating Us."

Phoenix Entierro vehemently denied that plan, "I can't allow that! Aaroniero Arleri-sama! It's two against one, it's not fair! It's too much danger to you! Aaroniero Arleri-sama... please! Let me fight them instead-"

"We cannot allow that."

"But-"

"This plan is best. We must prepare before we lose sight of the Jinki's location. Friagne, Kuma, Razlo, please prepare for the assault. Bring Us victory."

Merely double talk for an impending argument between a daughter and her master. The Espada filed out quietly with chants of "For it is the will of Espada."

Then it was just Phoenix Entierro, Alica Testarossa, and Aaroniero Arleri.

"Why won't you let me fight her!?" Phoenix cried. She pulled back her hood to reveal her face, as if the visage was argument in itself. Aaroniero remained seated and cool.

"Your rage for this... doppelganger will jeopardize both your safety and the mission. You would not think properly."

"It's not fair! Who is she?!"

"She is none of your concern. Your appearance is merely coincidence-"

"It's not coincidence!"

Phoenix choked as she realized she just cut her master off in mid sentence, like she knew better.

"F-Forgive me, Aaroniero Arleri-sama. I did not mean to speak out of line..."

"It is well..."

Phoenix sat, and mumbled.

"When you found me, Aaroniero Arleri-sama... I was so happy... You gave me family... clothes... a weapon... love... and you expected nothing in return... you gave me a reason to live..."

Her gloved fists tightened.

"But now... there's this person other there... living... grown... perfectly normal... whereas I... I don't breath... my heart doesn't beat... I'm unnatural... I thought that maybe when I was in those labs, it was just a terrible accident that I was there... but now... that girl... that Fate... she's living happily..."

Phoenix looked up, eyes threatening to burst into tears, "Aaroniero, what am I? Am I a mistake? Did I truly exist to be an experiment? Am I just some sort of cast away clone?! What am I? Let me fight her, Aaroniero Arleri-sama! Let me confirm my existence-"

She stopped talking when her master approached her and embraced her quietly. She lost the ability to talk.

"There is not one person in this Order of the Useless Sword, that deserves anything that happened to them. You did not deserve to be an experiment. Kuma did not deserve to be forced to be half-living and filled with rage. None of use deserve to be abandoned in the name of Greed, used in the name of Greed, cast away uselessly in the name of Greed. Not one of us... but..."

He held her away slightly so the girl could look up into that bone white mask.

"You are Phoenix Entierro now. Not a possible clone, or an experiment, but an indestructible Ghost of Espada. That mage is unimportant to who you are now. Forget her."

Phoenix tried to find the words, "I... I... I can't!"

She ran into the darkness away from her master.

* * *

Angered as she was, Phoenix was not a fool either. Though she stood in Uminari City at night, atop one of its tall office complexes, she refused to attack Fate or Nanoha. Alone, it was tantamount to capture, which in itself, to an Espada member, meant voluntary suicide. So she seethed at the city lights, unsure what to do.

Aaroniero Arleri was about to be outnumbered willingly.

She wanted Fate to... something...

"What do I do...?" Was what the hooded girl could only say to the wind.

A voice answered back, "Dance with the Devil in the pale moonlight."

Phoenix twisted her head to the side to see a man lazily seated atop the edge of the building, one leg tucked up, the other hanging off the side of the building, while his white coat fluttered in the wind, and his cocky smile sat underneath white sunglasses.

"You-!"

"Hey, girl. Taken care of yourself?" Arnage grinned.

"How did you get here without me knowing... how did you know I was...?"

"Magic. Ta-da!" He sneered, fingers waving in a mock display of wonder.

"Tch... you were useless back there! You said you were going to fight that girl! She just dragged you around! You got Aaroniero Arleri-sama hurt! You're useless!"

Arnage snorted, "Please, I was just caught off guard by how strong velocity could get. Next time will be different."

"There isn't a next time."

"Sure there is... Aaroniero Arleri's planning a big gig in a few hours, right? Reclaiming the Jinki and all that?"

Eyes widened.

"How did you-"

"Magic. Ta-da!"

"...What are you trying to say...?"

Arnage stood up, shrugged, and breathed an inhaler for a second.

"You hate her, don't you?"

"Her...?"

"Fate Testarossa Harlaoun. The TSAB's prized Navy Enforcer. The girl who stole your face and your right to exist."

Phoenix growled and looked away, "W-What about her...?"

"Ah, Phoenix dear, you're supposed to be doing the Jinki raiding in itself, right? A glorious job... but you're still angry, because you won't fight her."

"S-So what! I don't need her..."

"Yeah, and you standing up here in the middle of the night, glowering at the city that belongs to her is surely a productive sign you've gotten over that bitch."

Phoenix swirled around and glared at the man who took another deep breath of his pain-curing inhaler, "What are you trying to say? You're a really bad admirer of the Espada, you know!"

"Nothing really. I just think it's a shame you can't ask Fate the questions you want to ask. Who are you? Why are you here? What is your connection to me? Nope, Aaroniero instead has to risk his neck fighting the two of them off, when you can help him and yourself... through me."

"...What?"

Arnage prostrated with a showy bow at the waist, and with another grin, "I'm offering my services as a really bad admirer of the Espada, lady. By your leave, I'll go fight Fate Testarossa Harlaoun again... and bring her back alive to you... and then you can ask all the questions you want. Meanwhile, you can go get the Jinki and not worry your pretty little head about how Aaroniero Arleri-sama might get his ass kicked by some punk ass mages, and how Fate is going to slip through your fingers, because you have me!"

"I... How can I trust you? What do you want? You have to want something in return." Phoenix tried to cooly return.

He grinned and stepped up close, and knelt, "I just want one thing... an introduction into the Espada... I want to wear white and masks with you... because I'm with the side that wins..."

"Can you really do it...?"

"This time, for sure."

* * *

It was later, Aaroniero Arleri felt Phoenix return to Catedral. She sat near him calmly.

"Do you feel better?"

"Much better, Aaroniero Arleri-sama... I can continue with mission as you wanted."

"Good... that mage?"

"...I've handled her. I don't need to think about her anymore..."

"Good. We have much to prepare for, Phoenix Entierro."

Phoenix nodded and smiled.

* * *

It's dark. Night has fallen. But amidst the shadows, white phantoms loom over the mages, blades drawn and gears spinning.

**Duel Eight: Feuer Frei**

Bureau dog, We wish We could apologize for our actions, but we are soldiers... and we are monsters.

**LET'S ROCK!**

* * *

A/N: Annoying, lame, weak chapter, but it's finished. Mainly Fate being moody and that whole moralizing speech stuff I had to go through (Still sounds lame in my mind). Should mark a proper dive into completing G-Gear.


	8. Feuer Frei

It was eleven at night when it began.

Fate had cheered up slightly since their talk, enough that Nanoha was able to convince her for another "Girl's Night Out", just the two of them. It didn't even have to be a furious night. Just sitting together in Midori-ya, after hours when the shop was closed for the day, talking things through...

"What do you think we should do now, Nanoha...? About Ky and Badguy, and the Jinki?"

Nanoha leaned back and shrugged, "We can't move Ky at the moment... maybe Sol... but we'll have to figure out some better protection for Ky..."

They tried working out what to do on their own.

At eleven, they felt the presence of magic bursting up in the sky. A twisted invitation.

"What the..." Nanoha began, before trading looks with her friend.

Midori-ya locked doors. Discretely, two mages took to the sky. High above they found the caller.

"Takamachi Nanoha and company. Good evening."

Nanoha narrowed her eyes at the white masked creature, who stood, back straight and assured.

"Aaroniero Arleri..."

"We see we remember each other's names well enough, Bureau dog."

* * *

**Duel Eight: Feuer Frei**

* * *

Raising Heart and Bardiche were pointed at the calm ghost.

"You... you're here to try and get the Jinki again, aren't you?" Nanoha easily guessed.

"That is correct. If you can divine that, you must then also know that We are merely a diversionary, while another party searches for the Jinki. We can even guess your Fate Harlaoun will be the one to leave first to try and recoup the situation, given her... speed."

Fate glared, irritated at the Ghost's arrogant suppositions (which were correct, however), "You don't even know if the Jinki are in the city! We could have moved them any time!"

"If you have moved them, we would have known. And we know that you hadn't had time to do such. Therefore the Jinki are here somewhere. We hope you at least tried to keep them in separate locations."

Somewhere in the back of Nanoha's head, there were frantic and frightened thoughts about the danger she had dragged her family into.

_(F-Fate-chan! M-my family! Yours!) _Nanoha thought quickly to her friend, who kept her face steady.

_(I know... but mother is strong. She and Arf won't fall so quickly if it came to a fight... I'll check your house first, alright?)_

_(Are you sure? What if there's more than one?)_

_(There's only one way to find out... don't worry about me Nanoha... you have to deal with this guy first anyways...)_

_  
(Alright... be careful.)_

Like that Nanoha and Fate were forced to play to Aaroniero's prediction. White mage remaining behind to deal with the obvious threat, black mage heading off into the distance to try and find the approaching danger.

Nanoha turned back to stare down the white humanless visage of Aaroniero. They immediately began their usual friendly banter.

"_ACCEL SHOOTER."_

"**FLECHA MAJESTUOSA ."**

* * *

Fate sped across the open night air, making her way toward the well known location of the Takamachi homestead.

Unfortunately, she made the mistake of taking a flight path that passed by several office complexes.

Out of the shadows of one of these, a purple tendril whipped out and fastened tight onto Fate's ankle, stopping her with a cry of shock. Looking down at what stopped her, Fate's eyes widened at the familiar weapon, as well a familiar voice that gave a quick laugh of amusement.

"Taken care of yourself, Testarossa Harlaoun?" Arnage grinned, as he stepped out of the shadows of one of the roofs.

"You!? What are you-"

"Kicking your ass."

"I don't have time for you!" Fate growled.

"That's kinda the point. You gotta beat me first and all that, right?"

"Bardiche!"

_"SCYTHE FORM."_

Fate rushed downwards, towards the still standing Arnage, who made no move to prepare himself.

More purple flickered from the shadows.

Instincts running high, Fate twisted her head away in time to dodge another paper flat tentacle that slicked through the air, and rolled through the air, dodging two more.

"What the...!?"

"Look, I know I'm not a mage and I'm weak and shit because of that," Arnage lectured condescendingly, "But seriously, the first time around, you should have known I was just playing around... this time..."

Aside from the psychic appendage that loped around Fate's ankle and attached itself to Arnage's wrist, several more twining, paper flat, purple limbs snaked out from his back, drifting in the air, ready to bury themselves into flesh.

"...Well, this time, I'm playing to win."

* * *

On the _Lancelot_, breakfast was supposed to begin. Thus it was that the first forkful was about to reach Hayate's mouth-

_(Careful there, it's going to slip onto your skirt, Mistress of Pain.)_

Friagne Dientedeleon's smarmy jab was heard by all at the table taken up by the Wolkenritter, alerting them abruptly.

Hayate slammed her hands onto the table, hissing, "You!? But I saw-"

_(Hmmm? Oh, wait, that's right. We departed over my being utterly disintegrated by that attack of yours... well, for some perhaps, but not the most fatal of techniques for me. I assume you've been holding onto the Zessen for me? Well done, I'll be coming in shortly to take it back.)_

Everyone grimaced at the announcement, but Hayate most of all, mentally spat back her retort, wherever he was.

(_You just try it! I'll just stop you as many times as necessary!)_

_(Oh? Well then, I'm sure your ship has some sort of warp chamber? I'll be there shortly.)_

Hayate's thoughts halted on that jarringly. She knew instinctively that this man, who belonged to Nanoha's "Espada" was no doubt powerful...

But warping here on his own? Across mind boggling distances? Then again, he was talking to her.

No way to be sure, but Hayate wasn't willing to take stupid risks. She stood.

"Vita... find Anji, get him to the bridge, and keep him there. Alert the captain. Everyone... we have to get to the warp room."

There were sharp sounds of accent, knights rushing to their task. Vita snorted at "baby sitting" again, but didn't bother complaining, given the possibly impending battle.

* * *

In time, Lancelot's security was beginning to blare, Hayate unified and others in summoned armor, staring down the back wall of a fairly large room, with curving designs emblazoned into the metal wallwork. A room at first glance unlike any other, but the only one, this chamber near the bottom of _Lancelot _made to support teleportation.

Wolkenritter and ship security, Armed Devices and Storage Devices, and tense air.

Vita's voice got through to Hayate,_(Hayate, the captain just cut power to the warp systems. He won't be waltzing in, that's for sure.)_

_(Good.)_

Friagne's voice cut in again, _(Shutting the door on us? I would decry you for your rudeness, but I guess that would be redundant...)_

Hayate's frowned._Still talking like that... what's he planning...?_

_(Very well... I'll just have to make my own in way. As usual.)_

That was when Reinforce panicked in Hayate's mind.

"Master! Something's wrong! There's something inside the Book's systems!"

Hayate twisted her head to look at the volume tucked under her arm in shock.

_Wha-!?_

And out of the closed pages of the Book of Darkness, a Jack of Diamonds flung itself free and slammed itself into the far wall, digging in with visible cracks tearing through the wall. Then an intruding spark.

Shamal recognized the danger immeadiately, "He's hacking into the warp systems!"

Everything happened too fast. Even as Shamal was finishing her sentence, large ropes of electricity jumped about in the invaded room, while an unstable interdimensional door began to widen.

Inside, Hayate could see a roiling sea of playing cards, a gloved hand pulling through...

The security detail quickly lost their patience in the face of the enemy. Shoot first while the enemy was prone. A commanding officer shouted.

"Steady, men! Fire!"

Blasts filed through time and space to hit the cards on the other side of wherever, but nothing could stop the mass sheets of paper from closing in, or the white sleeve and hand from regenerating despite it consistently exploding from bolts of magic.

Fingers snapped.

"Regular Sharp."

"Zafir-!"

And the portal burst free and sprayed the room with razor sharp numbers and royalty. It was only a fast intervention of very large shields from Hayate and Zafira, plus his glowing columns of light, that warded off most of the mages from being shredded. The many other that were unlucky, fell with screams while being scarred over repeatedly with edged paper.

The cards continued to fly. Signum, who did her best to assist, still could only turn her head and groan frustrated to her mistress, "Meister! We can't hold this room! We have to move back!"

"Tch... everybody, we have to retreat!"

Given the current duress of the situation, there was no particular need to object, as the Wolkenritter and whatever security remained quickly shuffled out of the room carefully, door sealing shut behind them.

The portal was left to its own. Eventually, instead of throwing more cards into an already decorated room, the interdimensional rift vomited out a large river of the material onto the ground. Following closely behind, Kuma Oso and Razlo Justicia stepped out, their feet heavily clomping onto the card enmeshed ground.

"Well, I supposed I should be impressed..." Kuma respiratorily muttered to the cards at his feet. From a pile in front of them. A pair of arms emerged, before pulling the rest of Friagne Dientedeleon from the puddle of cards with the depths of a sea, the Espada mage smartly clicking his heels as he hit ground again. He turned around with a smart flourish.

"Shouldn't you be? I trumped the first round beautifully."

"Whatever. Let's get the work."

Razlo said nothing.

"Ah, very well then. As usual, I'll handle issues regarding the Wolkenritter, but it is imperative that we separate her from her front line attackers. I recall seeing one in red with them. I didn't see her there when the portal first opened, but I saw one with a very impressive sword-"

"Signum..."

"Yes, I'll just leave her in your care. Razlo, you have no qualms with a bit of search and destroy for a girl in red? And possibly that Jinki wielder?"

Razlo shrugged.

"Good. Then we have all our players picked..."

Friagne turned to the shut door, chuckled, before pulling a new deck of cards from his inner jacket pocket, idly shuffling with one hand.

"So... table's open."

* * *

Lindy Harlaoun furiously padded away on a digital keyboard, holographic viewing screens jumping between various views of the city.

"Nanoha-chan? Fate-chan? What's wrong!? Answer!"

_(Lindy-san...! They're back! Get Ky and Badguy... and the Jinki... out of here!)_

_(Mother! Please... be careful!)_

It appeared Fate and Nanoha's duelings busied up again, as they failed to say any more than that, with no further response to Lindy's half-frantic calls to answer.

Still nothing returned. Lindy was cut off from her daughter and her friend, against god knows what.

The mother and an admiral fought for control of the same body. Rush out there like a bat out of hell to find her daughter? Rush out of there like a bat out of hell, dragging Badguy and Kiske and the Jinki out of the city? What?

_Fate... no... She's an Enforcer. She's practically S-rank. I have to trust Fate._

"Arf! We have to go!"

The childlike familiar looked on in confusion as she saw Lindy enter the living room, quickly throwing a jacket on while, heading towards a separate locked room that sealed the deposed tyrant Sol. Arf, being intimately connected to her master, knew of the situation without even needing consultation. But Lindy's actions confused her. What was she doing with Badguy...?

"What do you mean...?"

"Fate and Nanoha are buying us what time they can. We have to get the Jinki and their owners as far from the city as we can. We also have to get Ky-"

"What?! You're just going to leave them?!"

"They're doing this for us, Arf... We have to get these things out of here... otherwise what Fate and Nanoha are doing right now... and the Takamachis... and the other people in this city..."

"But they... you..." Arf tried to argue, no word able to explain the type of relationship that had built up around Fate, Nanoha, Hayate, and all the others.

Lindy gave a bereaved sigh. Admirals and mothers. Mothers and admirals. Fate as a daughter, Nanoha practically one as well... "I know..."

Arf deflated her frantic accusations at that. This wasn't easy on the older woman either.

"Arf... Go and get the Fireseal in my room, it's too heavy for me to pick up. I need to talk to Badguy. Don't worry about it, I sealed it capacity."

"R-right!" Arf quickly affirmed, before scampering off into the woman's bedroom.

Lindy unsealed the door, and opened. Sol inside, trussed up with magic, snorted.

"Too late, woman."

"Wha-?"

"Get down."

Lindy didn't need another word to obey instinct, Sol's warning, and the surge of magic that she suddenly felt outside.

The apartment exploded.

* * *

Ky Kiske's calm was disturbed. In the dark and silence of his borrowed room, though nothing perceptibly changed, his senses felt something was wrong. The mundane called it a Sixth Sense. For practitioners of magic, it was merely an tuning of the five to subtle motions of magic in the air, everywhere, extra sensitive in this regard.

_What's happening? Something's happening. I have to see._

And Ky pulled on his worn overcoat, Thunderseal at his side. The house was darkened, the Takamachi family that housed him asleep already. As for Ky, he quietly opened the front door and locked it behind him.

After that, Ky Kisked quickly jogged into the streets, seeking what was wrong.

* * *

There was the sound of echoing thunder, and smoke rising in the distance, in the direction of Fate's home. She twisted her head, eyes widening in shocked horror.

_No... no! NO!_

A second tendril wrapped about her neck, and Arnage was swinging Fate around by both extremities from one arm, growling.

"You... have... no time... to think about... collateral... DAMAGE!"

From his rooftop position, the psychic sent the black mage into side of another, higher, office complex adjacent to his, sending up a giant shower of glass and dust. Letting go, the white coated man snorted, dispelling his blades that vaporized into purple smoke, while unearthing his inhaler.

"God damn, woman! It doesn't matter what you are! Testarossa, Enforcer, Mage, you do a shit job at all three so far!" Arnage chewed through the inhaler he held in his mouth while clapping his hands.

"_PLASMA LANCER. FIRE."_

Retorting out the building were several salvos of amber charged arrows. Arnage laughed once, before paper flat limbs flew out of Arnage's back and into the ground around his feet, springing the whole body upward and over the shots.

A ferocious yell, "TURN!"

The Espada imitator blinked, "Huh?"

And magic projectiles he flew over were found to be heading straight up towards Arnage, for which gravity still held a hold of, despite his tendrils splaying everywhere. Nonplussed, the man twisted himself to face down as best as he could, while a shorter blade of mind energy sprang out under his wrist. Falling back towards the roof, Arnage slashed wildly, cracking apart Plasma Lances like they were colored glass that fragmented about him. At last minute, the tendrils slammed into the concrete before his feet did, non existential material absorbing the shock, suspending him above the earth like some spindly legged spider. He looked around a bit, reaching for his inhaler again.

He saw her again. In the distance, a blur was rushing towards the smoke in the distance.

"Tch, Testarossa turning her back? I didn't say this was tag, damnit."

The purple blade legs lashed out, one after another, grabbing onto concrete and propelling Arnage forward across the roofs after Fate, while each limb began to grow longer and longer, taking longer strides, while the man began to rise...

Meanwhile, Fate, believing her headstart was enough to put ground enemy in the dust, she dashed with all human speed possible.

_Mother!? Mother! Wait for me! I'm coming as fast as I can-_

"_SIR. THE FOE BEHIND."_ Bardiche suddenly warned.

Fate began to look back, confused, "But how could he-"

Arnage dropped onto her back, arms sliding under her shoulders and hooking behind her neck, "Typical! You thought you could just fly away without a fight just because I couldn't fly, huh? Fucking magicians."

Far down below, connected to the ground, were several meter long tendrils that all funneled up into Arnage's back, holding him up in mid air, while he anchored onto Fate, leaving neither of them moving.

"Get-off-!" She began to hiss, while he sneered.

"Come on. Let's leave Phoenix and your mommy to chat it up. Meanwhile, I have to wrap you up for a house warming gift-"

Arnage's appendages bent sharply, sending the two opponents dive bombing through the roof of a department store.

* * *

While Hayate and others continued to retreat, cards frittered slowly through the air in the hallways, carving up the passage way as the papery snowfall continued to proceed, blasts of magic from surviving security futilely unable to burn all the flakes of winter at once.

Even Hayate-

"Bloody... DAGGER!"

A series of explosions immolated the lower half the corridor that was being invaded, burning up every card in sight. The darkness of slashed lights still remained, however, along with Friagne's melodic, phantasmal voice.

"Ah, no finesse as usual, for a youngster... and again, not a light to Admiral Gil Graham, who knew to when to push forward, pull back... but, you just aim and fire... and die."

Hayate growled as she backed away from the cards that swirled out from the void, flurrying around, yet tauntingly refusing to act yet, preferring to sit, watch, and mock the Mistress' tactics.

"Damn it..."

Reinforce's frantic confusion was apparent, "I don't get it! We're unisoned! We have the targeting capacity to hit him even in the dark! We have positive hits! How come he's still there!? I-I'm sorry, Meister!"

"Never mind, Rein, you didn't do anything wrong... he just seems to have some sort of trick..." Hayate quickly responded, eyes still kept on the dark hallway and white cards.

Like the first time they fought, Hayate saw Friagne get disintegrated from the Annihilation Lightning, but now he was back, and now Hayate was sure, like Reinforce Zwei, that every hit was positive... so what was the trick?

Signum fiercely muttered mentally, _(Mistress, it's pointless to fight him in these hallways, when he has the advantage of the cover of darkness.)_

Hayate nodded.

_I need some place nearby... that's wide and open, where I can surround him from all sides and keep him on the defense, find out his tricks, keep him from shooting out lights..._

Reinforce came up with a solution immediately, "We're still on the lower levels! There's a large cargo hanger we can use! It's mainly empty right now!"

"Right, then we have to draw him that way."

Friagne's voice snorted, "What's this? A small war meeting? How annoying, wasting your time talking, thinking, like things are going to go your WAY!"

The blizzard spat forth, and rushed past everyone in the hall, cutting up whatever remainders of the lesser experienced security members until only the Wolkenritter remained, trying to keep one eye open and a hand steady on a barrier that protected from from the cutting cards that covered their vision.

"I am so displeased you keep breaking your attention from our friendly game just to have a chit chat with that swords woman, when you probably talk to her all the time. Besides! A friend of mine wanted to spend time with her... alone..."

That was when Signum felt someone behind her, outside the barrier in the shower of slashing cards.

She turned to see two white bulging eyes, like a teddy bear's.

"Miss me, _Signum?_" Kuma Oso spat out, before the ground underneath the pair of them separated from the rest of the floor of the _Lancelot's_ hallway from very clean cuts.

Signum fell into the engineering decks below, bewildered, but suddenly using Levantine to duel with Dos Colmillos as a Knight and Ghost fell among whirring magical engines that propelled the ship forward.

"SIGNUM!"

The remaining of the Wolkenritter would have continued to shout in shocked concern, but Friagne snapped his fingers.

"Tide Shuffle."

The blizzard became a tsunami, and everyone got carried away in the tide, washing down the halls to the next battlefied.

* * *

Vita, in the bridge room, ground her teeth with increasing bad temper. Standing against one wall of the bridge room, hand firmly kept on Anji's sleeve to make sure the idiot didn't go anywhere (and smacking him up the head after one of his Wifey Jokes), she listened to sounds between the muted pounding of battle below the ship, and crew operators frantically trying to keep atop the situation and relay orders back.

"Team C! Respond! Anybody?!"

"What happened to Yagami and the others?"

"Sir! I pick up magic being used in the engine level!"

Vita growled, and suddenly jabbed a finger into Anji's chest.

"You, stay here. Stay. Here."

She held up her Armed Device, scrutinizing.

"Eisen, good to go?"

"**JAHWOL."**

"Good. Let's go."

Anji began to titter at the sight of his "beloved" stomping toward the main entrance of the bridge, blast doors sliding open.

"Uh... Wifey? Are you sure you should be-"

"Shut up and stay there. I'm going to help Meister and my family-"

"B-But, you can't just leave me here-"

"Here is the safest plae. I'm not hanging around any longer and waiting to see what gets here first, Hayate or those Ghost freaks. I have to help them-"

Vita stepped through the open passage, Anji almost begging. "C'mon! You can't just leave me-"

The Iron Knight swirled around, pointing Graf Eisen's sharp needle tip at Anji's neck, glaring. "Look! You just shut up! You're a selfish coward who can't do anything other than run! You actually know anything about caring about people? I suppose you don't! If you wanna live, just stay in that room, as for me, I'll do MY job! Got it?"

Anji was at a loss for words at the backlash of his pretty lady, until he looked down the hall and screamed in a disturbingly high pitch.

Vita's eyes widened, and she swirled about, her hammer swinging in a wide arc. A magically produced shot shattered about her.

"AH! It-it's them-"

Vita shoved the idiot back behind the door and had the blast doors shut, calling back to make sure he stay, no matter what. Then she glared at the figure across the hall of the ship.

"Well, you got here really fast, huh?"

Razlo Justicia stopped walking, staring obsessively with one glassy, milky eye from under his tipped hat. His cloak shrouded about him, covering his entire body, while Castigo "hung" from his back.

"You know what I hate Ghost?" Vita grinned, as she pointed Eisen at the Ghost.

Razlo continued staring.

"Baldies. Damn Baldies that are too tall, especially. And people who half to walk around half naked like you do, with really bad pants. And hide the in the distance like a coward. Who wear stupid hats."

Razlo's eye narrowed, unamused. Vita tapped Graf Eisen on her shoulder.

"So, when you're going down, don't feel too bad! You were going to lose the moment I set eyes on you!"

Razlo responded simply by twisting his neck to either side, with audible cracks, before throwing back the folds of his white cloak, his two arms pointing forward with their large handguns, while the third emerged from behind his back, pulling the large cross of Castigo over his head, pointed as well at Vita, all three weapons charging with a visible glow.

Vita held up one hand, small metal orbs conjuring between her fingers, "Let's go!"

* * *

When Lindy came to, she found her face wet, her eyes irritated and shut, the feeling of something heavy pressing down on her hips, denying her movement, and all around feeling poor. By poor, meaning a sensation similar to attempting to cross a large canyon with only a skateboard, failing, reaching the bottom in a bloody mess, then be saved by paramedics and stabilized so that they could throw her off again while she was strapped to the bed. Fun.

No time for that. Lindy groaned horrendously, wiped her face with the sleeve of her jacket, smearing it with plenty of red.

"Gugh..."

The lights were blasted out, leaving the room only lit with the city outside. The furniture had tumbled everywhere, some of them even still lightly cooking on the edges with live flames. Shards of glass spread across the ground of the soot covered ground. Even the exposed kitchen looked as if large rocks had been hurled against the cupboards, drawers, and the fridge.

Looking back, the admiral found herself pinned under a smoldering piece of furniture, which she wasn't sure what to make of. Perhaps it was the coffee table, perhaps it was a couch. Now it was trapping her against the ground and the wall next to an open door.

Sol, still bound, but unadamant about the situation, shrugged.

"The guy's coming, you know?"

"I know..." Lindy grunted back, while trying to reach back with her arms to dislodge the heavy wreckage.

"Trouble?"

Lindy shot Sol a dirty look, "You could say that."

From behind a door to a surviving room, Arf's head peeked through, "Lindy! Are you hurt?!"

"I-I'm fine! Keep an eye on the Fireseal! That's more important!"

"But-"

"Keep it safe!"

Arf disappeared behind the door. Sol snorted.

"You know, if you just take off this magical rope shit, I could easily pry that stuff off you."

Lindy wasn't convinced, "You could try to escape..."

"Hey, take your chances-"

The sound of heels crushing glass underfoot. Lindy and Sol looked up.

By the windows, a white girl stood, hood over her head, blond bangs poking out of the shadows, while her large blade was held by both hands, behind her neck.

Phoenix Entierro kept it simple, "Give me, the Jinki."

* * *

The large sliding gates were quickly slashed apart, before a giant sea of cards slid into the mostly empty cargo bay, at the same time, Hayate, Shamal, and Zafira making noises of contention as they were ejected from the playing cards with enough force to send them tumbling through the air.

Hayate looked about her, shocked, "This is...!?"

Friagne's masked face, with its many carved eyes, shoved itself into Hayate's own, "The cargo hold, I assume. For a commander like you, I assume you wanted to find a new table to play on?"

Hayate growled, and pulled a fist back.

Friagne immediately had a shield of cards rise up from an outstretched wrist, cutting off each other's view.

"BREAKER!" She screamed, along with her glowing free fist into the paper blockage, enough force to shatter the strange cards like glass, while Friagne backed away, his limb also breaking apart into cards. Hayate grunted, before slamming both her feet into the Espada's stomach, bounding off him while he crashed to the ground. Staggering to his feet, the cardsharp was too slow to expect Zafira's sudden axe kick from the sky, only able to raise his other arm, which promptly shattered as well. As the Guardian Beast leapt away, the disarmed Friagne found two fine glowing cables wrapping around his neck, pulling him to his toes as he struggled with Shamal up above, her hand outstretched with her two ring shaped devices.

"Hayate, please! Fire now!"

There the Book's owner was, she was already flipping through pages, while a Belka symbol was spinning about her, aimed at Friagne.

"Stone spears... Mistilteinn!"

Klarwind wires detached from Friagne, leaving him to slam into the ground limply from the force of seven large spears of light impaling him through the chest and legs at various points.

"Ghaghk-" were his words before his entire white suited body was converted into gray stone, which crumbled apart quickly.

Hayate huffed, and and adjusted her grip. "I got him...?"

The audible crack of snapping fingers.

"Regular Sharp."

Cards from the red, white, black, royal mountain shot up at Shamal, covering her in explosions before she could even speak. Hayate screamed the Knight of the Lake's name for her, instead.

Out of the smoke, Zafira leapt from it, a Shamal in his arms, sans hat and plus soot, where he slid to a halt beside his mistress.

"Shama! You're alright."

"J-just caught off guard..." She managed to reply.

Hayate managed to smile in relief, before glaring at the still operating mass of cards at the entrance of the cargo hold. Particularly, at a white gloved hand that poked out, pointing to the ceiling, before it pointed at her.

"Very good. Veeeery good!"

"How... that's impossible!"

"Come now, we're both mages. Impossible is nothing." The hand smirked back.

"How do you... I got you..."

"No. You just called out on my Bluff."

"What-?!"

"My, you really are new to the games, aren't you, Mistress of Pain? What you have successfully obliterated, twice I might add, was nothing more than a Bluff, a construct of mine. A perfect working replica of myself."

Hayate could feel a drop of sweat fall from her face, "No Device could manipulate a spell like that-"

"Alas! How prude and single tracked your train of thought is! Perhaps no one device... but all my cards... each and every one of them, albeit weaker in power, you can treat as a fully functioning Device. And with so many working in tandem..."

The hand pointed upward, and an arm attached to it quickly emerged from the sea of cards, along with head, hat pulled down stylishly with another gloved hand...

"Well, easily I can translate a working puppet. I can't help but compare you to Gil Graham. He and his familiars (I am still so flattered they respected and feared me so much they used my appearance as a basis for one of their transformations), over the years of our... friendly matches, quickly devised efficient schemes to eliminating Bluffs, and weakening my overall game... Gil and I never truly could defeat each other for real."

Friagne chuckled as he watched the glaring Hayate and others, their Devices and fists raised in preparation. He flicked his wrist, a Queen of Hearts appearing between his fingers.

"I admit though, your ability to concert attacks even without the presences of your two front attackers is most impressive, but in the end, all of you combined are only as good as my bluffing, and I am very good at bluffing play. Yagami Hayate. You may be good. But I... am magic. Now, shall we open a new deck?"

* * *

"Rrraaagghhh-!"

"Hyaaah-!"

Signum and Kuma's blades crashed against each other, edges buckling with faint sparks as their single handed weapons held fast. The two then blurred about, leaving the grated floor of the engine decks, clashing against each other momentarily. Around them was the dull blue glow of the chamber, emitted by the twin rows of large turbine like structures that hummed noisily, providing backdrop to the orchestra of sweat, shouts, and ringing steel.

"Kuma... what is Outer Heaven?! Why are you starting this war?!"

"Because fighting is the only thing I'm good at now... but I could care less about that! All I want... is to finish you off once and for all, SIGNUM!"

The other half of Dos Colmillos hit against the back of his brother, the force of the double hit sent into Signum's blade. With a gasp, the Flame Knight went tumbling through the air in a frenzied spin.

"How do you know me-" _How is this fighting to nostalgic...?_

Kuma leapt into the air after his target, his breath-assisted voice scoffing, "How pathetic! Did I mean that little to you?"

Dos Colmillos' katana edge slammed into Signum's face.

"**PANZER GEIST."**

Rather than hitting flesh however, Kuma merely smashed into a purple aura that barred the blade from getting any closer to the Knight

"Tch! Colmillos!"

"**ABSORCIÓN."**

As Signum glared at the sight of her magic weakening and being consumed by the katana, Kuma flipped his grip on the other blade, growling, raising to stab.

"I admit, you probably didn't care about me one bit when I was still alive... but in the end, I suppose you care more about the master of the Book, no matter who it was!"

_What is he going on about-!?_

Kuma stabbed into Signum with his other blade, sending them both to the ground in a massive explosive pyre that twisted metal about them.

In the center, amongst super heated wreckage, the two were blade to blade, face to face, each of Kuma's blocked of by Levantine as well as its conjured sheath. Signum bared her teeth.

"I. Don't. Know. You!" She tried to convince herself.

"Pathetic! I'm certainly having troubles recognizing you myself, Signum! You were cold and powerful, but now you're just soft! YOU KILLED ME, SIGNUM! How can you NOT REMEMBER!?"

Signum's strength pushed through Kuma's dead lock, forcing him to stumble back, while avoiding a wide slash. At the end of the swing, Signum quickly sheathed her blade, while her right fist continued to wind up past her shoulder.

A Cartridge exploded out of the sheathed Levantine, while a long tongue of fire extended from Signum's knuckles. In normal circumstances, like last time, Signum would have rather preferred holding back magic from a greedy Ghost, but Hayate's situation was too dire to bother about subtlety. Smash the Ghost, find an opening, and try to make it back to her mistress.

"Karyu... ISSEN!"

Swinging out with the burning projection, a wave of sliced through the air towards Kuma, who imitated the motion with one of his swords.

"**DIVISORIA SANGRIENTA!"**

Energy and flame meeting head on, with nothing but a fantastic blast rocking the room.

In the midst of the glare, Signum and Kuma glared at each other, before falling back into a stance, Signum's palm resting gently against the handle of her covered blade, while the Ghost raised one sword ahead, another wrapped around his side, coiling for an easy strike **an# he )(ing r& hushed as ev(#& w()ted to see which &(# of the two would gin t) spr.**

**Just another day at the fortress.**

Signum's head visibly jerked back, shocked at what she had just... remembered? She faltered. Kuma didn't.

"Gear One, go."

"**RESURRECCIÓN! VUELTA LIGERA: RESUCITADO!"**

With a flash of an activated gem at the end of one of the handles, Kuma sent himself into the air, before twirling himself head over heels, the outstretched swords, turning a falling mess into a large glowing buzzsaw that bounced across the ground.

Despite the sense of illness and cold sweat beginning to drip off her face, Signum shouted to her sword. Holding the blade behind her head, she shouted, "Hiryu Issen!" and threw a wave of flames at the spinning circle of light from her uncoiling blade-whip. Kuma was swept up by the fire.

Signum threw out her sword behind her.

"**DANZA AGUDA: RESUCITADO."**

Her links of blades wrapped around a katana. Bringing Kuma to a halt where he was behind her, crouched down deeply, arms close to his side, while he held both his swords backward, arching his above his head.

**((ou'll ha#& better than that?&(&" Signum coldly intoned.**

Signum coughed loudly, her head swimming, and her grip loosening. She dismissed her scabbard just so she could keep holding onto her blade with both hands.

**(! grinned, sheepi#!(! **

Kuma growled, before he pulled away, knocking Levantine's grip on Dos Colmillos, while he began to spin about again into a windy blurring hemisphere that rushed toward the knight. Backing away, feeling sicker than ever, like something was forcing her way painfully into her head, Signum tried to back away from the circular slices that clawed at her neck and body.

_What's... happening... to me!?_

**Corrupted Files Detected. Recompilation... executing... 10 **

**Mei&ter #(arl always kept one of them#(behind, to keep an eye on the tr(!?oops. Normally it was either !#, but Me? found a powerful #)! to the , that required the skills of the other two.**

**So it was just her, Fla ?um.**

**As it was guard shift in the fortress, she assu!)he greatest ) movement would be in the barracks. She entered, and watched quietl#( **

**Most of the me( disdainfully watched her. Look, the lap of that twisted man. She paid it no heed. The true d(gs were the ones who could only bark, so look who was&(!talking.**

"**Hey! Signum! Over here&((**

**She turned to the sound of the a par was (regrettably) becoming familiarized with. There he was, smiling idlly and waving, like he was )s with her. Still, better to sit than stand.**

**She approached.**

"**You were lookin' kinda (urself." &)!&, "Hungry?"**

**)ke seemed to be in a contest with himself to prove how much stupider he could be. A loudmouth with no sense, he always (( a spar. Even with the significant (difference in skill, he always just grinned and kept coming back for more( As (?(were, as system of the REVISE: TOME OF NIGHT SKY, she had no need for nutrition.**

"**Feeding is unnecessary for me."**

"**Really? But the fish tastes good..."**

**Apparently, that was all the reason he needed in the world.**

**Still, as stupid as he was)(&? was the only one who bothered conversing with her at a semi&()r basis.**

**She continued to sit, &)!fter a few minutes, noticed ?!#using two chopsticks.**

**Curious. That brought up another obse)tion she had of him. Out of all the? #(was the only one who held two swords at once. One for each hand, almost religiously.**

**&(), why do you use two swords?"**

"**Ah ha! Finally observing me, huh? Finally, Signu&!(#arded me as a true equal to her in skill, that sh!)(&o learn more about my technique in order to come up with strategies..."**

**She hoped this was him just &()!#(joking. But then again, with that fanciful grin on his face...**

"**Answer the &(??**

**He shrugged, and handl(! sticks. "With it, I can be the best, Signum. Well there are a lot of reasons, I think. With two swords, it's great if I ever have to fight more than one opponent at a time.**

-panting, Signum flung Levantine out, the long chain of sharp edges surrounding Kuma Oso from all sides. With his Dos Colmillos, he was able to swivel around easily, knocking away portions of the ring that tried to close in on him from various angles, sides, and heights-

**You see, with two smaller blades, I can swing faster than a guy with both hands on one big sword, and I can attack and defend at the same time!**

-and Kuma twirled through the air, the katana narrowly singing through the air, barely missing Signum at point, before she stabbed forth. With one sword, Kuma sent the attack sparking and screeching away from his bulbous teddy bear face, while he returned the favor to Signum's own facade-

**I could even fight if one of my arms got cut off because I'd still have one left!"**

**()( ? though his tirade, had exemplified his naïve explanations by skillfully removing the skeleton of his fish from the flesh with a few deft double movements.**

"**It really is the ultimate fighting style." He said to himself, almost musingly, before snapping back to reality, "Uh... I guess I kinda got carried away."**

**She was silent for a few seconds. For those few second, she almost saw the warrior underneath the foolish soldier, the faintest glimmerings of his possible future. The musings of a master swordsman, "You might be onto something..."**

**  
"Really!? Awesome!" &()!( cheered.**

**She felt Meister (&() speak to her. (_Knight, return to me this instant. I have a job for you.)_**

_**(I understand.)**_

**She stood up, Levantine hanging off the small of her back, "I must attend to business."**

**)(!! was back to stuffing his face, "Alright! Hey, Signum! I challenge&#(you to another match when you've got free tim&(et you this time for sure! Just you wait, right now you're already asking me for secrets!"**

"**You should feed your intellect, not your stomach, Jno? num coolly called back behind her.**

Signum's eyes widened. "K-Kuma...?"

The Ghost nearly stopped for a second at at the nostalgic tinge that suddenly lined his name, as well as Signum's face, mixed between confusion, horror, shock...

Nearly stopped.

Kuma roared, and with a double handed swing, batted the Knight's blade out of her hand, Levantine twirling through the air.

Signum's eyes remained wide, taking in every second she could as he swung down with his Ultimate Fighting Style.

The stroke was true.

* * *

"Oi, lady. You should be doing something decisive about now." Sol grunted sarcastically, seeing that Lindy seemingly wasn't going to move at the sight of Fate's... sister?

Phoenix Entierro ignored the bound man, restating, "Well, where is it? Answer. Now." She clomped forward, surprisingly menacing for a girl that was shorter than the other two adults in the room. Lindy tried to talk.

"A-Alicia, wait-"

Phoenix Entierro growled and walked faster.

"-It doesn't have to be this way, let us help-"

The white high heel of the Ghost's boot ground itself hard and fast into the back of Lindy's closest hand, the muted 'crunk" of crushed bone. Lindy gasped, coughed, choked, welled up tears, before bringing her high pitched growl under control. Phoenix snorted.

"I don't know anybody with that name. The next time will be your other hand. After that, your back. Now, where is the Fireseal?"

Lindy continued making all sorts of throaty noises, trying to bear the pain, and thus denied an answer. Sol, provided a scoff, however.

"There's not point trying, kid. It's not like she's even scared of you."

Ataúd's edge stopped narrowing in front of Sol's nose. "Shut up."

"Tch, make me, kid." Sol scornfully retorted.

Phoenix snarled, raised her blade above her head, and immediately jumped backwards as a wash of flames flung out from one direction, cutting off the Ghost from Lindy and Sole with a line of pyre.

The girl's shadowed face made a look of shock, her mouth grimacing, "This is-!?"

Twisting her head, Phoenix looked at the open door to Lindy's room, where Arf stood in the doorway, both hands around a red, white, and square-edged sword. Her childish face was hard set, eyes stone cold.

"Don't hurt Lindy! I swear... I may not be as strong as before... but if you don't get out of here now-"

"The Fireseal..."

"ARF! RUN!"

Phoenix moved first. Holding out her heavy device out to her side, she swept across the ground in a single bound, threatening to crush Arf in two. The Familiar ferociously swung the Jinki in both hands, the machine dragging magic out of the air to throw more flames at the approaching Espada.

Sol swore as the place seared over, "The idiot! Is she trying to cook us all!?" He turned to the trapped admiral, fiercely prodding with his voice, "Oi, woman! Do something!"

Arf only fired one wave of flame, before Phoenix had already leapt over it, and brought Ataúd down on Arf's head. The dog-girl quickly brought up her borrowed sword above her head, palm of one hand holding up the flat of the blade. She winced as the heavy Engine Device crashed down its full weight with enough force to send Arf back a few feet into the room, before digging her feet into waxed wood ground with cracks. The two struggled, Phoenix trying to push down, Arf holding her ground with straining arms.

Phoenix then scoffed. "Ataúd."

"**ROCIADA DEL RELÁMPAGO!" **

With that, the girl was wrapped in lightning, her acceleration increasing several times over, until she became a living projectile.

One that stared into Arf, point blank.

Arf's eyes widened. The room exploded from the shock wave of contact, cracking plaster walls, and a wave of dust rushing out of the door.

Lindy screamed Arf's name, horrified. However, the only thing that came out of the smoke was Phoenix, Ataúd over one shoulder.

Fireseal in the other hand.

"No..."

Phoenix stared hard at Lindy, "You're someone important to that Fate person, aren't you?"

Lindy stared back, determined, before saying clearly, "I'm her mother."

"Mother..." Phoenix appeared to toy with the idea in her head for a second, before simply saying, "I have better things to waste my time on."

She turned for the shattered open windows. Lindy quickly turned back to Sol, with deft hand movements.

"Seal, release."

In an instant, Sol was jumping to his feet, his sore limbs ripping free of their bonds, before immediately charging at Phoenix, roaring, "THAT'S MINE, BITCH!"

The girl swirled around, caught off-guard, but snarled and brought down her Ataúd at Sol's head. Instead of contacting it, Sol dodged away, practically flying backwards in a single bound, until he crashed against a back wall, his feet digging into it with enough coiled energy to crack plaster construction, until he flung himself off it, foot flying first.

"Riot... STOMP!"

Phoenix tried to leap back, in hopes that sheer speed would allow her dodge to send her through the window and into the safe mid-air. She did, but not before Sol planted his foot into her gut, making her double over in pain. She rocketed out into the air, not under her own power, but regardless managed to bring herself into control, and painfully rushed upward out of range.

Sol stood at the edge of the windows, glaring upward.

"Fuck."

He turned and walked back into the room.

* * *

"**COMETA: ASCENDIDO."**

"**PANZER HINDERNIS!"**

Somewhere along the way, Vita lost her hat. Even with the hefty red shield, Vita found herself sliding through air, until she tumbled into one of the atrium hub rooms of the _Lancelot_. Wide, and rectangular, with two floors, and with Vita sailing over the two escalator systems that connected one floor to another.

Landing on her feet, and sliding several feet back, Vita bared her teeth at the top of the escalators, Graf Eisen in Gigant form being held at her side with both hands.

Razlo Justicia slowly approached, his white cloak covering his body completely, his head craned up contemptuously to stare mutely at the Knight past his nose. Reaching out over his head, from behind the slit in the back of his cloak, his third arm stretched out, holding the massive cross-cannon of Castigo. Two red gems on the either of the arms of the cross whirring and glowing, while the end of the weapon smoked from its recent use.

"Tch, aren't you a tenacious one, Baldie!?" Vita boisterously taunted, with a large grin, while her mind was quickly scanning through strategies.

_I can't close the distance decisively. He always backs off or covers himself too well. I need something to block him off so I can close him without him being able to do anything about it, or not knowing..._

"If it makes you feel better, I'll let you call our round one a draw... but this time, I'll get you, Baldie..."

Razlo hunkered down for a moment, before launching himself into open air above Vita. His two gangly arms reached out through his mantle, large pistols drawn, while Castigo's main body steadied beside Razlo's head. The barrels on all three guns began to glow.

Immediately, Vita reared back her massive Device, bringing it into the paneled floor with as much force as she could. Metal sheets crumpled and bent, wiring and tubing buckled free, and a general mess came flying up into the air, confusing Razlo's vision as the wreckage blocked his aim. Glaring, the Espada merely unloaded his two hand cannons into the rising debris, shredding the sizable metal scraps into melted pieces. Since his aim was so wild, it allowed the space between the shots to widen to the point that Vita, as the last of the rubble was blown away, could fly upward past many of them, until she was practically in Razlo's face.

Ducking under a swing to his head, Razlo tried to leap away from Vita's position, guns pointing backwards.

"**PFERD."** Eisen replied, and Vita kept close, swinging away, Razlo unable to aim properly while he was trying to sway away from the various blows aimed at him from the giant Graf Eisen.

Vita grinned victoriously. _Like last time, he can't outrun me while I have this spell! Now he doesn't have time to aim either! The only thing I have to be careful is that extra arm of his..._

It was clockwork. Vita gave a roar and a massive downward crush, which Razlo had no option other than to raise his guns above his head, leaving their front constructions smashed into uselessness rather than his head. Immediately, Razlo glared, and Castigo was rising upward to aim past his shoulder at Vita's head, while her hammer was still occupied.

The Iron Knight snorted, already drawing back, "I've already seen through you!"

In a deft motion, Vita smashed the Eisen into the Ghost's Engine Device, sending it twirling out of Razlo's hand and away, slapping onto the ground loudly. With another swing, Vita pounded into Razlo, sending them to the ground as well in a huge crash.

On the cratered ground, Razlo struggled with his hands to keep Graf Eisen's head from smashing into his face.

"It's over now!"

Razlo cocked his head, looking up at Vita, eye narrowed somewhere between amusement and disgust.

"...Castigo..."

"**SÍ, JEFE MILITAR." **

The heavy cross, previously laying on it's side, jumped up under its own power, to stand on the base of its longest arm. Vita twisted her head, eyes widening.

"What the-?!"

"**FRANCOTIRADOR: ASCENDIDO!"**

At the center of Castigo, where it's handle was, a shaft of red energy sprang forth, crashing solidly into Vita's chest, before she could act. Francotirador carried her all the way into the wall, where she slid down and crumpled onto the ground, coughing.

Razlo Justicia slowly sat up, and got to his feet. Pacing across the large atrium, he grabbed Castigo, settling it on his back before turning his steely gaze upon Vita, who was gathering herself to her hands and knees, still hacking painfully from the sudden blow.

"Castigo."

"**PERFECCIÓN!"**

The red gem at the top bar of the cross added it's distinct hum to the other two, a trio of Gears now spinning for Razlo, magic three times as strong now.

"**CONSTRUCTOR DEL ARMA ."**

New guns materializing into his hands. Razlo pointed all three pieces of Castigo at Vita, barrels beginning to glow with a growing charge of power. Vita spat, getting to her feet.

"Nice trick... but I've got you now... Baldie..."

Hefting Graf Eisen, she held it in both hands, preparing to attack, when Anji's voice range out clear above them. Clear, as in, 'not from an intercom', which jarred the two magicians.

"Stop!"

Turning their heads, Razlo stared dully, while Vita's face made all kinds of accessories to total dumbfoundment.

"ANJI!? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!? GET OUT OF HERE!"

Irregardless of the Knight's various exclamations to duck and cover, Anji Mito remained standing at the top of the escalators.

"...You're not going to hurt her anymore!" Anji harshly decreed, pointing one of the Zessen at Razlo, his normally goofy face, now hard and frowning. The side of the fan carried the character for "Justice!"

Vita tried to keep her gaze and her stance straight on Razlo, who had one gun pointed at each opposing party, while her mind was furious and bashing itself into an imaginary wall.

"You idiot! Get out of here! This isn't the time to play hero! Get back to the bridge! I'll handle this!"

The wielder of the Legendarily Useless Lost Logia seemed adamant, "No!"

"Anji, I'm telling you-"

"You were right!"

Vita blinked, "Huh?"

Anji stared hard, "I was being selfish, protecting myself first... but I won't stand around any more while I can help!"

"Anji..."

Then came a lame, easy shrug, "...Well, after all, I can't have anyone hurt my bride-to-be-"

"YOU IDIOT! YOU'RE STILL A SELFISH BASTARD!"

"**PRESA: PERFECCIONADO."**

A wave of magic slugs crashed into where Anji was, continually as if from a machine-gun.

"ANJI! You little-!"

Vita swung wildly at Razlo, who leapt away, with little fear. Until he noticed his handy work. His eyes widened. Vita's own turned to see what had happened to Anji.

Rather than the sight of a swiss-cheesed man, two fans, the size of a person, were opened up, back to back, creating a perfect, pristine shield, that appeared as if nothing had even tried to touch it in the first place.

On the side of each fan, loudly emblazoned, red characters shone, each saying "Stop!".

Vita's jaw hung loose, "What the...!?"

Fans reverting to a normal size, Anji leapt off the floor above as well, landing beside the younger-seeming Knight. To her confounded look he explained it succinctly.

"There's nothing in the universe that the Zessen, the Stopping Fans, can't break."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

Razlo was quick to doubt that claim, all three cannons of Castigo bearing onto the two.

Vita snorted, "There's no time like now to find out! If you're really going to help, then let's go!"

"Right!"

Never like before, Vita and Anji ran in synchronous harmony, working by feel off each other's back, as they charged down Razlo. Who began to unleash whatever hell he could.

"**PRESA: PERFECCIONADO. COMETA: PERFECCIONADO."**

In no other way that could be described, except magical, Anji had pulled out dozens of duplicates from his sleeves, flinging them out, where they hung in the air, completely stretched around into ribbed lacquer paper and wood circles, which burst and broke open any shot, simultaneously destroying the shell as well, leaving harmless explosions around the pair. Meanwhile Anji's originals remained steadfastly as two halves of an unbreakable shield that protected him and Vita as they charged towards Razlo. Even the large beams of bombardment magic crashed against the surface of the Zessen, splashing helplessly into nothing as he continued on.

Razlo tried to take to the air. Anji was faster on his feet, though. As soon as the fire stopped, Anji was winding back into a technique, wisps of blue magic collecting around him fluidly like wind and water, before he darted forward, sliding with a knee bent, one arm above his head, the other reaching out.

One fan said "Fuu!", the other said, "Jin!"

In a blink of even a Ghost's eye, Razlo's chest crumpled inward at two points momentarily, before the rest of the Espada was flung into a wall.

With his crippled lull, Vita took to the air, capitalizing. Throwing her palm up, she conjured a silver orb, far larger than anything of the usual swallow size.

"**KOMETE FLIEGEN!"**

The massive sphere, drifting lazily upward, was smashed into by Graf Eisen's Gigant hammer head. Flying straight and true, the warhead orb flung itself deep into Razlo's recovering form, trapping him in a large concussive explosion, sending dust flames everywhere, and the tinkle of shattered steel.

Vita dropped to the ground beside Anji. Both intently staring at the crumpled shadow ahead of them. It didn't move.

The Iron Knight sighed, "Over..."

Anji turned, "We should get out of here then-"

Then Dos Colmillos slashed up the ground, and Anji's chest. Blood spilled everywhere.

There was a bizarre silence.

Vita's eyes widened, and her mouth trembled, as she tried to scream something. Like what? "You idiot?"

Anji looked down at the hefty gashes all over him. "...Oh, dear..." Then the Zessen clattered to the ground.

Kuma Oso ripped through the steel flooring below, finishing off with a blast to Anji's face with a fist wrapped around the handle of a katana-shaped Engine Device, sending Anji sliding across the ground. The teddy-bear headed Espada snorted, his helmet and clothes spattered with red in disarray, as if he had been in the middle of interior decorating.

"Razlo! You useless... I have to be the one to do everything, huh!?"

Kuma reached down and scooped up the fans, tucking it inside his robes.

Vita exploded.

"YOU SON OF A LITTLE PIECE OF-"

Kuma ducked under a stray swing, and parried away another with an off hand, sparking clash.

"Razlo! Are you just going to sit there, dying uselessly? At least die doing something useful! Let's go!"

Kuma dropped down the opening of the ground, Vita screaming after him for vengance.

Razlo twitched.

* * *

In the empty department store, amidst glass counter displays, metal racks of clothing, and whitewashed mannequins wearing various clothing, a new addition was made to the wreckage on the floor, and a opening in the ceiling, a jagged, crumbling circle that opened up to the cloudy night sky and the moon shining overhead.

Bursting out of the plaster paneling that had fallen on top, Arnage laughed and hauled himself and Fate up, his arms locked around Fate's neck in a complicated stranglehold that also locked her arm holding Bardiche behind her back.

"Aren't you a damn tenacious one!? Fucking pass out already!"

Fate gasped for air. Baring her teeth, she managed to choke out a reply.

"B...ar...dithke...!"

_"SONIC FORM!"_ Bardiche instantly roared, ever protective of his master.

Fate flashed amber and jumped out of Arnage's arms in a blur, before jumping back with a fist into the side of the psychic's face. The power of the accelerated blow was enough to send him flying back through the air, leaking blood. Recovering, the man reoriented himself in mid air, several purple tentacle blades erupting from his back, and digging into the linoleum. In lazy swing, Arnage was back, suspended over the ground with his many sharp limbs from his back.

Fate snarled, brandishing her scythe, as well as stretching out in her new lithe body suit, "Get out of my way!"

Arnage snorted, while using another inhaler he had unearthed from the depths of his white trench coat, "Do I look like a person who's just going to lie down and die for you?"

Fate glared, "Why are you helping them!?"

Sneering, the psychic brought a hand to his chin, "Didn't I tell you already? I'm an admirer of the Espada... besides... they're going to awaken Outrage... which is... something of interest to me."

"O-Outrage...?"

"Wouldn't you like to know? All you have to do is stand still for a second-"

"Shut up! I'll get past you!"

Arnage chuckled at that, "Get past me? What can you do? Zip around like a fly and sting me until I bitch-slap you? You can't beat me, for two reasons."

"...What two reasons are that?"

"One, is that we're indoors. Where I _shine-_"

From the flooring and ceiling around the black mage, purple blades slashed out, spearing for her. Fate disappeared, but the blades easily whirled around, under precise control of its originator, chasing after a blur, or stitching in and out between the floor and ceiling to jut out at Fate at suddenly bizarre angles.

"And for god's sake, woman, don't try to escape out the hole in the roof. If you do, you're just too stupid to be a soldier! Or even live!" Arnage laughed, while the tendrils that held him above the ground also wound itself under the structure of the whole room, slashing at Fate through the floors.

_Even at my speed... he's still able to track my movements?!_ Fate swore in her head, and at the grinning man that stood arrogantly stationary in the department floor.

"Haken Saber!"

Even at the sight of flying electrified boomerang, several blades merely ripped out a store display, and hurled it at the spinning projectile, creating a exploding mess of glass shards and bits of melted plastic and metal and cheap jewelery. That move suddenly inspired Arnage, as tendrils began to wrap themselves around heavy other displays, stands, mannequins, racks, anything that could be thrown at Fate, along with various other sharp edges that came from the psychic, who continued to sneer and fold his arms.

Slashing apart even the throwables, Fate found herself having to dodge from dozens of angles, until everything came suddenly at once.

"_DEFENSER PLUS!"_

A bright yellow sphere came over here just as several hundred pounds of weight and force crashed onto her, made up of store wreckage and blades, all of which continued to press in, hoping to push through her magic field by pure force.

_I can't keep up like this! I'm just playing to his game! He wants to tire me out... I have to finish this! I have to get to mother... I have to defeat him now!_

Desperate calls meant desperate measures. Fate gambled all. Everything was on the line, and she would not put up with this... unknown...

"Bardiche... activate Jacket Purge..."

_"YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS MEANS?"_

Fate nodded underneath her shell of magic, layered over top with Arnage's crude force, "It'll be for a short window of time... but... even if I'm defenseless for a short while... I might be able to create an opening against him as well... it looks like all he can only create a fixed number of blades, even if they appear to have an infinite range. All those blades are out now... If I knock them away with this... then I'll have my opening... Do you trust me, Bardiche?"

_"YOU ARE MY SIR. PREPARED?"_

Fate swallowed and nodded. This was it. Crunch time.

"Let's go."

"_JACKET PURGE."_

Outside, Arnage sucked on the inhaler, when he saw the dome of debris and psychic purple glow, for a second. Then all of a sudden, it exploded, scattering tendril blades that loosened and flapped about, and the trashed display flinging themselves through the air. A sizable one smashed Arnage across the face, unprepared for the sudden change in the battle. Grunting from the pain, Colt's blades began to weaken, dropping his feet to the floor while he stumbled back, the tendrils on his back only managing to keep him from falling down altogether.

At the epicenter of the blast, Fate charged out, clad in only a normal skirt, boots, jacket, dashing low across the ground toward the psychic.

Between holding his face, and staring out between his fingers, Colt swore, "Tch-!"

One blade swung out from its propped position to lance at Fate. Rushing at it, Bardiche in scythe form smashed it out of the way. Another sloppily lashed out, Fate managing to fend it off with only a streak of red flying off her shoulder as it flew into a stand.

She was on top of Arnage. He frantically swiped out with one blade that erupted from underneath his arm in a crude sword. A fast parry opened up his head for a knock out concussion. Bardiche snapped shut into Assault Mode.

"It's OVER!"

She swung her Device into Arnage's face.

Crunch.

Fate's breath sucked in.

Arnage grinned.

"W-what are you!?"

"What's the matter, Testarossa Harlaoun? Didn't your plan go off without a hitch? You successfully hit me with your stupid Device-"

Arnage's arm blade flashed, and Bardiche's head was separated from the gunmetal shaft in Fate's hands, before a strong punch with the other arm sent her sliding a few feet across the floor.

Arnage stood up properly, sneering. Bardiche's body, its core glowing, remained trapped between the nestle of purple psychic blades that came out cleanly from the side of his face.

"I think I forgot to tell you about the second thing about why I won, Testarossa Harlaoun." Arnage smirked, while the blades disseminated into violet smoke that drifted off his pristine face, Bardiche dropping into his open hand. Fate coughed, clutching her undefended belly as she got to her knees.

"That new age bullshit you mages do these days? Won't work on me. You people don't have the balls when push comes to shove, which is why, nothing you have that you'll ever throw at me, won't be able to break my blades."

Throwing the Bardiche away from the two of them, the psychic fixed his slightly cracked sunglasses and took a deep breath on the inhaler again.

"Well now, you've got no Device, no Barrier Jacket, and pretty much no magic. Well, unless you can fly without a Device, but what can you do? Headbutt me at a hundred miles per hour?"

Fate growled and backed away.

"Well, even if you are as pathetic and helpless as fuck, I better be thorough about this-"

Several tendrils, twisted around until they became tubular, ripped out of the ground. Fate, caught by surprise, could do little more than gasp, and find her limbs twisted amongst the psychic limbs. Lifted into midair, her limbs pried away from her torso, Fate struggled, while Arnage walked forward, his back filled with tendrils that stretched continually to the hole he left under his feet. Arnage leered into her rage-twisted face.

"Feeling helpless are we? That feeling of total immobilization must be new to you mages, you fuckers who can fly everywhere and cross dimensions and back flip and shit."

Reaching into his coat, Arnage pulled free a semi-automatic pistol of reputedly Terran-construction. Pulling back on the slide, he easily drew a beat onto Fate's face, her breath stilling, her body stopping struggle, as she stared down the barrel of the gun.

Arnage grinned, "Goodnight child. It's past your bed time."

_NO-!_

Click-Bang.

* * *

A while ago, Friagne received word that Kuma, in fact, had been the one to successfully retrieve the Jinki.

So it was time to go.

Friagne continued to back down the hall back to the teleportation room, throwing cards or shields of cards at the Wolkenritter, slowing their approach, when the ceiling behind Friagne fell apart, leaving Kuma on the ground.

"Ah, Kuma! You're looking splendid as always!"

"Shut up, let's go. Someone's following us through my passage." Kuma snorted back.

"'Us'? Razlo's with you?"

"What's left of him."

A bloody mess fell to the ground on it's face, recognizable only by the fact that Castigo was carried with hand. Razlo struggled to stand, his face plate dented and mangled, his body wrenched, and his two main arms broken.

Friagne whistled, "My, my, Razlo, you look like you're at the end of your career here..."

Razlo remained silent as he brought himself to his feet dazedly, swinging back and forth, with Castigo on his back, his white eye from under the brim wide with craze. He stared at Friagne, before slamming Castigo into the ground with his remaining good arm, jerking his head to it in some final manner.

Friagne actually became stunned to silence at that, "You're sure? You know, I was only partially joking about the career thing-"

Razlo jerked his head to Castigo again, in that climatic aura. The end.

Kuma shrugged, "It was nice knowing you, Razlo Justicia."

Hayate and the others came down the hallway at the same time, Vita burst through the ceiling as well, baying for blood.

Shamal blinked, "V-Vita-?"

"That fucker! I'm going to kill him!"

"Vita! Calm down!"

"Hayate! That teddy-bear bastard! He killed Anji! He's going to pay!"

"A-Anji!?"

Zafira choked, "But that man was fighting Signum-"

Vita's eyes widened, "He-he was!? Then..."

The realization hit all them, and they all turned to down the hall, glaring at Friagne, who stood astride behind the barely conscious Razlo Justicia.

Friagne thumbed his chin, "Indeed... surprising that a Wolkenritter could be felled at all... then again, Kuma Oso-"

"You bastard! I'll kill you!" Vita raged, taking one threatening step forward. Hayate also glared.

"I won't let you get away with this."

"I know. Hence, Razlo will help let me escape."

Hayate glanced at the defeated Espada, confused, but still with darkened features.

"What do you mean...?"

Friagne shrugged, "You've only seen Espada use three of the four Gears in the Engine Devices, correct? Well, time to close the book on the mystery. This gear... is only reserved for glorious sacrifice for our cause... Razlo, be brave! Burn out with pride and power!"

_Razlo's head jerked up, enlivened by the phrase, as Friagne disappeared into the teleportation room._

_Vita rushed, in snarling, "Out of my way!"_

_Razlo slammed Castigo in front of it, calling it's name shrilly, "Castigo... Final!"_

**CUÁL ES MI NOMBRE?"**

"Castigo... Santo!"

**"MARTIRIO!"**

As the final gem glowed bright red, Razlo hurled himself, chest first, into his Device with a sickeningly loud and wet crunch. The bizarre sudden suicide was enough to even pause the war-frenzied Vita in pace, everyone staring wide eyed at the body.

Razlo stood up, suddenly Castigo Santo embedded in his chest.

Shamal jerked back, visibly shocked, "N-no! He isn't really-!"

Hayate turned back, "What?!"

"All the magic in the Gears, all of it he's absorbed! He's channeling it back into his Linker Core!"

"What!?"

Razlo roared, Castigo Santo being drawn into his chest more and more until the heavy bar of the bottom remained protruding from his chest. His two arms, broken and mangled, began to shift and twitch, visible tearing and revealing new mechanical steel underneath, until everything up to the elbow had parted away to make room for a large cannon on each limb instead of a hand. Even the third arm on Razlo fell apart to turn into a new gun.

And his mouth. Where the twisted metal face plate was, it popped off his, blunt edged teeth and skinny jaws widened apart until a massive barrel grotesquely pulled itself through, an upward facing magazine materializing behind his head, while the cowboy hat fell off, leaving a smooth head, and crazed milk white eyes, and an inhuman arsenal pointed at the Wolkenritter.

"Gaaaaagggcck-!" Razlo strangled.

"Vita, get back-!"

"**COMETA-PRESA-PRESA-COMETA-PRESA: PERFECCIONADO!"**Castigo Santo vengefully cried.

* * *

Nanoha crashed into the side of a building, head knocking back from the force. Gathering herself, she barely managed to cast up a Round Shield, stopping Glotonería cold, while the spinning trident head sparked against the shield.

In front of her, Aaroniero Arleri held his Device in one hand, casually pressing it against her, his tall mask almost coldly arrogant.

"You cannot defeat us, Takamachi Nanoha. Outer Heaven is inevitable."

Nanoha gritted her teeth and tried to push back, "Aaroniero... what... is... Outer Heaven? Are you going to start a war-?"

"War? You think Orden de la Espada Inútil, us purposeless nomads, would start something as petty and transient as a simple conflict?"

"Y-You call something like that, 'transient'!?" Nanoha couldn't help but say in total disbelief.

"Outer Heaven... is more than war. It is the restatement of purpose, and hence... existence..."

"Why won't you speak more clearly!?"

"It doesn't matter. You'll be dead soon enough, and the Jinki will be in our hands. Glotonería, feast on her shield, and then her."

**"ABSORCIÓN!"**

The drilling spear began to grind through Nanoha's Round Shield, the girl wincing and turning her sight away from the sparks. She furiously tried to think of a plan before the Engine Device decided to make a home in her gut.

Luckily, help came unexpected. Aaroniero Arleri felt something approach from behind. Twisting around, the Espada's vision was consumed by electric blue and white.

The Stun Edge exploded in Aaroniero's face.

"_FLASH MOVE." _With the momentary distraction, Nanoha dashed away from the smoke burst that covered the area. Higher up in the air, Nanoha twisted her head around, looking for who was probably the originator of that technique.

As she expected, Ky Kiske stood on the edge of a roof, his Thunderseal crackling.

"Nanoha! Are you alright?" He shouted.

"I'm fine! We have to get out of here now! You know the Thunderseal-"

"I am safe right now! Do not worry!"

That was when Ky heard foot falls behind him. The young knight twisted around, sword pointed at Aaroniero Arleri.

The tall Espada held his masked face in one hand, Glotonería limply hanging one one hand. Ky could hear muttering from him.

"Our mask is damaged... motherfucker, We can see that! We don't have time for petty squabbles, Aaroniero Arleri. Shut up! You know how important this mask is to Us!"

Aaroneiro's face raised up, hand leaving the mask. A sizable few cracks ran up the center of the mask, two of them intersection to the point an entire section, and "eye hole" of the mask was missing, leaving only...

Ky stared, "...Glass..!?"

Aaronerio Arleri muttered some more, "We can't fucking move as well like this, Aaroniero Arleri! We know... but the Jinki... we must act quickly..."

Aaroniero Arleri raised his whirring Device.

"Glotonería."

"LANZA DEL FANTASMA: PERFECCIONADO."

Up above, Nanoha saw the exchange and began to fly down to protect her friend, realizing what was about to happen.

Aaroniero Arleri grabbed the conjured spear of energy, and threw it at his feet.

The rooftop exploded in a giant fireball.

Somewhere in between, Ky gasped in shock as he feel from a high rise again. Nanoha was flung away by the blast. Barely holding onto his sword, Ky waved about in mid air, between large chunks of concrete.

Then Aaroniero Arleri's cracked face leaned into Ky's own.

"The Jinki, please."

Ky grunted in surprise, but feebly tried to swing in mid-air. Instead of the Espada, the Thunderseal merely got stuck between the teeth of the spinning Glotonería. The Jinki was wrenched from Ky's grasp flipping upward. Aaroniero chased after the freed sword, leaving Ky to continue falling.

Mid air, a white glove wrapped around the sword. Aaroniero Arleri held the sword gently, his other hand holding Glotonería by its center. Approaching rapidly came Nanoha, seeing Aaroniero holding the coveted blade.

"You-!"

"The boy is falling. There is still time."

Nanoha didn't even look back, rushing past the Ghost to chase after the falling wreckage. Amongst it, Ky continued to flail, until he heard Nanoha shout his name.

"Ky!"

"Here!"

The two grabbing hold of each other, they continued to fall with the rubble, until everything crashed onto the ground.

Silence.

"_BARRIER BURST."_

A certain pile exploded away from Nanoha and Ky, buried underneath, protected by the mage's protective bubble that had detonated.

"Ky! Are you alright?!"

The knight dropped onto his back, "That... was too close..."

"Raising Heart?"

"_THE SUSPECT CANNOT BE DETECTED."_

Nanoha sighed, before looking up into the sky.

_(Fate-chan... Aaroniero Arleri got away with the Thunderseal. What's happening with you?... Fate-chan? Fate! Answer!)_

Nothing. Nanoha's eyes widened.

_(Lindy-san! Are you there!? Lindy-san! Lindy-san! Arf! Are you there! Somebody!?)_

_(Anybody!?)_

The clock struck twelve in Uminari City.

* * *

Everything still is enshrouded in darkness, but the battle continues. Everything races towards the ultimate truth, the ultimate end.

**Duel Nine: Paradise City**

What is Outrage? In the beginning, Man created Monster, saw that it was good, and called it "Gear"...

**LET'S ROCK!**

* * *

A/N: Big mothafuka of a chapter. Did I try to stuff too much "WOAHMAHGOD PLOT!" into this?

Who else here also wished that their fanfiction was in doujin format? G Gear (and... other projects) would have been the most badass thing ever if it was just _drawn._

Francotirador – Sniper

Danza Aguda – Sharp Dance

Vuelta Ligera – Light Spin

Castigo Santo – Holy Punishment

Martirio – Martyrdom

Cuál es mi Nombre – What's my name?


	9. Paradise City

Nanoha burst through flapping double doors inside Uminari Universtiy Hospital, Ky not far behind. The rest of the Takamachi family was probably in a car rushing over as well.

"Lindy Harlaoun? Where is she!"

The nurse behind the front counter calmly answered, "Room 695. Don't run."

It was all the two teenagers could do just to even hear those two last words. It wasn't long before their power-striding sent them into a small waiting room beside an operating theater.

Inside Arf was sniffling, and Sol Badguy was casually thumbing through a stack of magazines and newspaper.

"Yo, bear scouts. Got a light? I haven't had one in a good while."

Ky glared. "Smoking is prohibited in medical premises. It could affect a patient's health."

"Tch, sheesh, fine."

Arf hiccuped, "I'm sorry, Nanoha... I should have protected Lindy and the Jinki better..."

Nanoha moved to hold the familiar, whose sole purpose of existence was to protect those dear, and had failed spectacularly, in her mind.

"No, Arf, you did what you could, that's all we could hope for..."

Ky looked glum, before looking at Sol, "What happened?"

"Fuckers nuked the woman's apartment, and got away with the Fireseal. Looking at you, looks like you two screwed up pretty badly as well."

"How is Lindy?"

"Well, it's not like she's going to walk out of this horribly mutilated or anything-"

Nanoha glared, "Stop being so callous!"

"I don't have time to waste, bitching about things that can take care of themselves. I'm more concerned about the Jinki."

Nanoha sighed, before remembering, "Wait, did Fate-chan come?"

"Never saw her."

Arf blinked, "T-That's right... Fate-chan should have been one of the first here... where is she...?"

The white mage's heart squeezed on itself, "I...I don't know... I can't find her or hear her..."

There was a silence in the room, while everyone waited for Arf to say the horrible possiblity.

"F-Fate's... missing...?"

* * *

**Duel Nine: Paradise City**

* * *

The rest of the Takamachi clan arrived not long after. Chrono and Yuuno, of course, they had to come. Amy, unfortunately, months pregnant, could do little but remain behind on Midchilda. As for everyone else, they rallied glumly around the news of the admiral and mother's hospitalization. Even with the doctor saying that the injuries weren't serious, it only took some of the punch out of the horrible night. All they could do was wait for Lindy to rest.

Until then, the Takamachis, doing what they could, helped everyone help themselves to an overly early breakfast, everyone dining across the living room and dinner table, where they could fit.

"I heard about what you and the Wolkenritter were in the middle of from Yuuno, Nanoha." Chrono tersely explained.

"H-He told you?"

"I don't understand why you kept it a secret from me..."

"I...I'm sorry... I thought we could handle it. We were going to going to call for a security detail to move the Jinki off the planet... I... I didn't know they were going to move so fast-"

"You should have known better, Nanoha. You should have called for reinforcements immediately, anything... now mother is... and Fate...!"

And the jarring fact remained, Fate T. Harlaoun could not be found, could not be contacted, had not been heard of in the past three hours.

"I'm sorry... I thought I knew what I was doing..." Nanoha muttered again.

"That's enough." Takamachi Shiro interjected, "No one can see the future. All you can do when you make a mistake is apologize. Which Nanoha has."

Chrono's stern look cracked at that, with a heavy sigh, "I know... there's no one to truly blame here, except for the attackers, these... Espada. Those bastards..."

Chrono Harlaoun's mother and adopted sister was in jeopardy. This he could not forgive.

Yuuno also added, "Hayate and the others were also carrying a Jinki. We should contact them as soon as possible-"

The Takamachi household, being the residence of a Mage as well, had some minor magical machinery present in the home, though not often very used. This included a fairly cheap reproduction of the holographic screen that was in Lindy's home.

Now, it had opened up suddenly, the screen blood red.

**(EMERGENCY CALL – SOUND ONLY)**

* * *

"**Wha(!#, you d&!n't like flowe!)?"**

**"No I don't, Ji!)(****!ske."**

Signum supposed waking up to the sound of Hayate's voice was a nice thing. It just was bitterly pressed down by the fact she felt like she could hardly move, probably couldn't, either from bandaging or lingering anesthetics, and the sounds of moaning around her, meaning she was in an unusually full infirmary. Plus, it appeared that the only thing illuminating the room were harsh emergency lamps in corners of the room, a sickly yellow, rather than the calm iridescent blues.

Out of the way of the room full of injuries, the nearly extinguished Knight heard her Meister's voice, murmuring.

"Yeah... we're running on an Auxiliary generator as it is, I don't even know how long this channel can hold. Yeah, the distress beacon worked, we'll be picked up within the day. I'm sorry, guys... but it looks like we all screwed up, huh? Still... yeah... sorry. Look, I better go now. We have to prioritize power. I'll get back to you once we're picked up."

The holographic comm-link closed, Hayate sighed, and heard Signum cough, "M-Meister..."

"Signum...!"

Hayate, one of her cheeks sporting a gauze patch, rushed to Signum's appointed bed, with most of the family joining in soon after, one or another bound up in medication in some way or another, all still pretty much dressed in their Knight Armor.

"Y-you're all... safe..."

"We're fine! What about you?" Shamal chided, happy and afraid.

"You took some heavy damage..." Zafira was next to explain.

"I'm sorry... I couldn't-"

"We understand." Hayate cut off, "We all messed up somewhere, but we all did the best we could, didn't we?"

Signum was silent for awhile at that, before asking, "The Zessen?"

"...They got away with it." Hayate lamely admitted. Even with her self-proclaimed disregard for apologies in the situation, her tone sounded like she sorely wanted to say all this was her fault.

"...Ah."

"Where's Vita... and what happened to the ship?"

Reinforce sighed, and not lightly either, "She's in a bad way..."

"She's hurt...?"

"Not physically... but well... it was mainly Vita's responsibility to look after Mito... and he's... well.."

Signum understood immediately, and made it clear with a nod. Despite all the jokes that ran her way, the Knight of Iron, regardless, took whatever task she was given seriously. To fail to protect the person you were responsible for...

"**They are my servants, boy. They exist to protect me, serve me." - Meister La(!#rl, Throne Room, circa ... ?**

Signum's eyes narrowed slightly, before continuing, "And the ship?"

Hayate's features darkened at that, "Those people... are serious business."

_Castigo Santo protruded from all angles of his suddenly berserk-revived body. Razlo Justicia fired blindly, the only thing mattering was that anything that was TSAB property was to be perforated by him._

_A flurry of randomly fired Cometa shaved away a corner of a turn in a T-section. As soon as the over powered rounds dispersed, Zafira and Vita swung out into the dismembered hall, either or throwing out an open palm or swinging back a massive Graf Eisen._

"_Take THIS!"_

_Shafts of solid light shot out of the ground, piercing through Razlo's Castigo arms, holding him in place for a large __Komete Fliegen_ _to smash into his chest, shattering the original Castigo buried in his chest, carrying Razlo back in a bloody mess, before exiting out the back, leaving the Espada to tumble across the ground pathetically until he stopped._

_Vita and Zafira continued to gulp down whatever air was available at hand, whatever volume that wasn't about to be seared by a storm of Engrajei magic, while their clothes and skin showed burns and __tears. Around the corner, Hayate and Shamal also shared their exhaustion, while they peered cautiously from the behind Vita and Zafira's defensive line._

"_Is this it...?" Hayate murmured. Vita spat._

_"It had to be! It was a direct hit-"_

_Razlo swung upward unto his feet as if his ankles were a hinge, his milk eyes wide open, his straight teeth clicking against the surface of the Castigo that came out his mouth. The arms that had been torn crudely from the shaft of light, merely grew new machinery from the bleeding wounds, while the originally ruined Castigo on the chest began to show new barrels pushing out from the wreckage of the old. More Engrajei circles shined._

_Everyone backed up, Vita giving the verbal approximation, "Shit-!"_

"_**PRESA-PRESA-PRESA-PRESA-PRESA: PERFECCIÓN!"**_

_The thousands of smaller rounds ground up everything on the Wolkenritter's side of the hall, themselves barely included, though they found themselves plastered against the back of the corridor, the other side consisting of shattering shields and exploding barrages._

_It continued like that. Razlo rapidly firing away and dying, only for more guns to emerge, while explosions continued to rock the ship, Wolkenritter unable to stop a potentially zombified barrage._

_"Fire!" Hayate shouted, the frozen dagger edges that surrounded her waist firing down at Razlo._

_More light stabbed, from Zafira cry of "Iron Yokes!", while Vita screamed down more Komete Fliegen._

_Razlo continued to fire, his body weathering away under the hail of fire, his flesh constantly trying to regenerate a poor substitution for his already failing mortality. Razlo cough though the gun in his mouth, as he slumped over slightly. His body began to steam._

_Everyone backed away from Razlo's suddenly change in demeanor. Hayate glared, "W-what's he doing...?"_

_Shamal, who had been paying attention, even from the background, choked in horror, "No!"_

_"What, Shamal? Tell us!"_

_"The Linker Core...! All that magic- It's going to blow!"_

"_What?"_

_Razlo leaned back somewhat, his body convulsing in fits of silent laughter, while his chest picked up a luminescent glow._

_Shamal rushed forward, shouting for Klarwind. The wired crystals spanned past her, forming a circle. Contained within was a roiling green mass of intra dimensional energy._

"_Shamal what are you-"_

_"Have to... have to remove the Linker Core...!"_

_The Knight of the Lake plunged her hand into the dimensional space. On Razlo, he jerked back, a glowing sun ripping out of his chest, along with Shamal's hand that held it._

_Shamal yelped in pain, the roiling and unstable magics scorching her bare hand._

_"Are all the Espada willing to make their own bodies like this...?" Shamal hissed incredulously. Behind her, the others shouted her name. She turned back, beads of sweating pain flying from her brow and hair._

_"Don't worry about me! I have to move this Linker Core out of the ship! Get as far as you can from here!"_

_"We can't leave you like this!"_

_Shamal sighed, but quickly twisted her head back to the her task and blinding pain, time of the essence. The burning magic began to scorch the flesh off her hand._

_"D-dimensional..."_

_Razlo's body jerked, as fingers enclosed about his overloaded source of magic, more skin roasting away. Shamal bit down hard, keeping her shrieks for a little while later, while she pulled hard on the Linker Core, dragging it into the dimensional space that connected her hand to the Espada's chest._

"_Dimensional... Transport!"_

_In a brilliant flash, the corrupt orb of magic was suddenly shunted out into outer space._

_"Everybody down!"_

_Everyone did, even the deadened corpse of the Espada, that fell on his face._

_Light shined down on the Lancelot._

Vita's hands tightened on her lap, while she glowered beside a bed in another part of the stuffed infirmary. She remembered the rocking of the ship well. Though Shamal had hurt herself in the process, she potentially saved the ship. If the blast had occurred inside, it would have torn the right side to pieces, not to mention potentially blow a hole in the ship, leaving vacuum that might have finished off the_ Lancelot_ for good. Instead, outside, the ship's shield was able to take the brunt of the blow, even if it left a good portion of the outer hull flattening and crumpling. Not fun at all.

And though lives had been saved, Vita stared at one who's own was still unsure.

"Anji... you already lost your stupid Zessen... don't go losing your stupid life as well... Those people... selfishly hurting everybody in their way..."

Vita's jaws tightened with her fists, roiling with hatred, "...I'll make them pay...!"

* * *

She couldn't move her arms. They were held taut above her head by the wrists, and the rest of her body felt heavy and sluggish. She could hear her the pule of her heart beside her ears.

"We do not know you. We do not trust you."

"Phoenix does."

Her closed eyes fluttered slightly, somehow knowing she'd regret opening her eyes. There was still a general sensation of the heads of metal metal nails pressing into her temples.

"Aaroniero-sama! He helped us during that fight in the mountains... if he hadn't distracted... _her_, I wouldn't have been able to assist you! He at least deserves a chance!"

"A person of his type uses chances for his own agenda."

"Hey, I stuck my neck out to try and catch this mage alive."

"We do not need live mages. Or her in particular."

"Phoenix does, apparently."

"Master..."

That was when Fate dry throat rippled out a painful groan, while her eyes decided to to open up anyways, allowing herself to wince at the sudden invasion of light.

"We will discuss this later. She's has regained consciousness."

She tried to move her arms, but found both of them connected to large cables at the wrist, hoisting them above her head and leaving her dangling, her toes barely touching the ground. Fate was inside a small cylindrical room, the ceiling somewhere in the darkness above, while ornate square panels were fitted around the walls, Fate's bonds tied to two of them high above. As she was, she wore no Barrier Jacket, merely her normal clothing. She did not know where Bardiche was, either.

In front of her, Aaroniero Arleri stood solidly, mask pristine and repaired. Phoenix Entierro hung back a bit, her mouth seemingly upset at the sight of Fate. Also present, though, was the psychic Arnage, who leaned against the wall of the room, sucking on his inhaler, other hand buried in the pocket of his white coat.

Meanwhile, as Fate tried to figure out what was happening and tried not to look pathetic, she asked.

"W-where... am I...?" She rasped.

"You are in the bastion of the Orden de la Espada Inútil, Catedral. You should be thankful to Phoenix Entierro. She insisted on you having some value in being alive and in our possession, though We admit... our facilities weren't intended particularly for the containment of prisoners of war. It is generally try to ensure that coercion or interrogation through extended violence, is not a habit."

"How am I...?"

Arnage answered from his wall, sneering, while his other hand loosely held the same handgun he used on Fate, "Hush Puppy. This one shoots tranquilizers. If I wanted to kill something, I would have just stabbed it, you know."

Fate mustered up a somewhat put off glare, "You people... why do you want the Outrage...?"

Aaroniero Arleri's tall mask gave a bit of a tilt, possibly amused, "We see you have quite a dedication to your task, Bureau dog."

"And that... why do you call us that... what do you people have against the Time Space Administration Bureau? We keep offering to hear out what you have, as long as we don't have to fight-"

"Shut up!" Phoenix snarled loudly, the sudden threat enough to silence her older lookalike, "Aarionerio Arleri-sama could have just killed you while you were asleep, and I wouldn't have objected even then! You're in our hands now! So you better just shut up until you're asked to talk-"

"Phoenix Entierro."

The girl immediately faltered into an apology for speaking out of line. Aaroniero stood silently for a few seconds before deciding.

"Officer, have asked a fair question, and We have yet obliged it. Very well, We shall explain our existence as Espada. Outrage's activation will be soon, regardless."

"...What...?"

Aaroniero had turned his back to Fate's confused exclamation already, "...Phoenix... this will be a lengthy address you no doubt will have heard before. We leave Arnage as your responsibility, and discuss his induction, or not, later."

"Alright, Aaronerio Arleri-sama... come on, let's go..."

"Egh, grown up talk, I suppose. Care to show me around, Phoenix?"

"Hmm, alright..."

Panels up to Arnage's height slide away, revealing a dark corridor beyond, with the Espada Testarossa leaving, and a dubious psychic in tow. The panels returned, leaving Aaroniero with Fate.

"We hope you at least have the common sense not to attempt escape. There is easily some three hundred of us within the headquarters at this point, and without a Device, your options are nearly none. Not to mention, the only method to access this facility is through a warp procedure We have the assurance of, that it is operated by a magic logic you are not proficient in."

"You said something about... Outrage activating... what do you mean...?"

"You don't know?"

"Aaroniero... what are you people after? The Jinki... Outer Heaven... all of this...?"

Aaroniero Arleri's mask hummed in thought, "It has been a while since one was willing to speak with us... though We admit it is merely on account of your captivity, you have no other options. Very well, Bureau dog, you wish to know what we are? What we are after?"

Fate answered evenly, voice cold, "Yes."

* * *

Elsewhere, with a rising morning, Chrono and Yuuno managed to find an unoccupied conference room in their hotel, so that all related personnel could slowly filter into the appropriated war room. Hayate's face could be seen from another holographic window that had been set up, she and the rest of _Lancelot's _crew having been evacuated a while ago. Seated in pleather chairs, the single large table covering all their laps, the mages discussed.

"If we can assume that Fate... was captured by these Espada..." Chrono finally managed to admit, "Then, we need to know where they are, and what they want with those Lost Logia..."

"Yunno, you still didn't find anything about the Espada or Jinki?" Arf asked.

The Archaeologist cum Librarian folded his arms unhappily, "No. I'm surprised myself. If there are such thing as Jinki, then there should have been a record of it somewhere. I won't call the Infinite Library's archives flawless, but it's the culmination of all the worlds under the Bureau's administration. There should have been even the slightest mention... Kiske, what do you know about the Thunderseal?"

The French knight shrugged, "Only legend from family history. It's been in the family since the first Kiske, thirteen generations back..."

"That's old..."

"Yes..." Ky's eyes flashed, "But even then, I am sure that both I and Nanoha know who is probably more knowledgeable about these weapons."

"Huh?"

Ky and Nanoha's gazes both turned meaningfully to Sol, who leaned back in his chair, and paying more attention to the comforts of the artificial leather.

"Um... Sol...?" Nanoha began.

The red tyrant snorted irritably, "It can't be helped. The bastards got the Fireseal now..."

Yuuno was surprised, "He knows more about these Devices?"

"Fate said that Sol knew even the exact number of Jinki there were... though... he wouldn't answer the first time."

Red eyes burned contemptuously from under the ROCK YOU, "Tch. With good reason. It still stands now. Even if what I told you helped fight those bleached freaks, what's to stop you from doing the same, when you learn the truth?"

Chrono gave Sol an even look, "We won't. You have to trust us that the Administration-"

"That's what the Administration said before. The fact of the matter is, I don't trust any of you. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. It's as simple as that."

Ky grabbed for words in the face of such brazen stubbornness, "But... right now...!"

Nanoha helped a bit, "Anything would help, Sol! Would you rather us the benefit of the doubt, or allow those Espada to use the Jinki for sure right now?"

Sol stared at the bear scouts on the other side of the table before tilting his head to the side in a gigantic groan, as if his brain had gone limp and he couldn't take the situation he had gotten himself into.

"Yare yare daze... Fine! Whatever!"

There were a few loud exhalations of relief. Sol then said one single world.

"...Outrage."

* * *

"If you had truly pursued us for this long, We assume you know that we have had some minor opposition against the Bureau for many years, secretly, as our two parties try fight for Lost Logia. You also know of the Outer Heaven theory."

"Are you trying to start a war, Aaroniero Arleri?" Fate asked.

Folding his gangly arms, the ghost humming amusedly, "A war... is one way to put it... but We feel it is more than that."

"Why...?"

Aaroniero snapped his fingers. And descending from the darkness of the high ceiling were ringed rows of rapidly conjured holographic screens. Each and every one of them focused on a single unique individual, as they passed through Catedral's bowels.

"The Order of the Useless Sword." Aaroniero's head tilted to the side, as if inquisitively, "Officer Harlaoun... do you feel there is something wrong with this universe? The universe after all, creates more people than it needs, and these excesses... suffer."

"...What do you mean?"

Aaroniero pointed to one screen, indicating the individual within, "Her name is now Setsuna Alablanca. When we found her, she wasn't even given the dignity of a name. She was despised for merely existing. Without pride or purpose. Verminous in the eyes of all. Only as an Espada did she have a will to live. What a cruel universe."

He pointed to another, a familiar bead head.

"Kuma Oso was experimented on. Betrayed, and turned upon. He wasn't even given a proper death. They left him dying, and people mutilated his body for their own curiosity. We saved him from an eternal fate worse than death, but even then, he is neither living nor dead. He is merely hatred now, and memories that keep repeating in his mind. What a cruel universe."

What a cruel universe. Aaroniero Arleri showed Fate several more people within Catedral. Zangetsu Cuchilla wanted to reach the pinnacle limits of a human body, using even questionable methods, and was rejected by society for it. Xochitl Quixote was abandoned by her masters because she was no longer deemed worthy for their purposes, and left her wandering blankly through the worlds. So many others. What a cruel universe.

"What is the Order of the Useless Sword, Officer Harlaoun. We are the dregs of the improper universe. Abandoned and misplaced, disused and abused. Products of science or of circumstance, and then cast aside when we are no longer of any use. The universe is greed-driven and complacent. Concerned with only hoarding prizes and growing fat on its own sustenance. Meanwhile, every passing year, more of us, in some form or other, arise. We are not equal, Harlaoun. We have no place in this universe, for the all the beauty and peace has been given to the wealthy."

Fate glared, "I don't believe it...! I found a place... there is always someone out there willing to accept-"

"Not us. We are freaks. Monsters. We are the darkness of the universe. Rubbish to waste away and die."

"No! I'm sure the Bureau... no matter what-"

Aaroniero Arleri pried his white face off. Fate stopped thinking, and could only stare.

"Try saying that again to me. **And me!"**

"Gu...wha... Why are you...?"

Aaroniero Arleri had no head or neck under the mask. Jutting right out of the shoulders was giant glass case, filled with red fluid that tempestuously tossed and turned, mixing bubbles. Within, two white spheres were suspended, white faces, blank black eyes, and toothy mouths planted onto each. The two heads chattered.

The body tucked the mask under one arm, while it bowed, the large tube swinging down, while the two heads merely rotated within their drowned cage to look at a horrified Fate.

"Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Aaroniero. **I am Arleri.** A pleasure to meet you.** If you got something to say about my face, shut the fuck up. I've heard enough about what I look like.**"

"What... why...?"

"The two of I were an experiment. Artificial organisms. **Some dumbass wanted to see if it was true about two heads being better than one.** Unfortunately, my thought processes do not synchronize very well. **But it was enough reason... they didn't even give me a chance. They decided to dispose of me right off! **The Espada built my body for me, so I could move. **The Espada created this mask for me, a machine that helped think straight! **Even now, it is difficult to move my body accurately, while my mask is off, **but that's not the point!"**

"It isn't...?"

"Tell me, Bureau dog. Who do you think would ever accept my existence? This monstrous creation? **Perhaps they will. For what? A few years of bliss? Before everybody starts whispering about the abomination! Then they'll write me off as a sentient weapon and decide I'm not even alive! Square fucking one! This is the truth of the universe! There is no room for Espada! No one will accept Espada!"**

The words seemed to jam itself deep into Fate's heart, making her head bow. But her heart was for another person.

"...and Alicia...?"

**"The fuck is she? **She is referring to Phoenix Entierro. **Heh, her? What about her?"**

"Alicia... how did you find her...?"

Both faces were silent and somber, Aaroniero and Arleri. One arm on the body pulled the mask out from under the arm and pushed it over the glass head again, synchronizing thoughts and voices.

"Phoenix Entierro is an interesting case. Kuma Oso and We, found her at a research laboratory. Location inconsequential. We burned to nothing after freeing who we could. The notes indicated she had apparently exited interdimensional Imaginary Space, chances of which are beyond even the word "rare". She was found with another body, but both were declared desceased."

"Then... how is she...?"

"Phoenix Entierro's body was used for Linker Core experiments. A "disposable soldier" concept, in which a corpse would be magically animated via an outside source, until no longer needed. She was intended for nothing more than a prototype proof of concept. The other corpse, having been recently deceased, had his or her Linker Core surgically removed and placed into an artificial construct that provided magic to animate her body. Magic is what is allowing her brain functions to continue. She does not breath, nor does her heart beat. She cannot even leave the presence of the machine, or stand to have it destroyed."

"Then... how...?"

"Have you noticed Phoenix's Device? Did she ever say, 'Start the Countdown', and the Device creates its own magic? Ataúd was the rebuilt version of that machine, and it still carries the same Linker Core that renders Phoenix alive."

_("Let's go together... Alicia...")_

Fate wanted to die. Fate wanted to throw up. Fate wondered if she should die by choking on her own vomit.

"Officer Harlaoun, know this. Phoenix Entierro is our charge now. Whatever relationship connects you to her, whether you are her clone, or whether she is your clone, or some other ridiculous story the universe has built for the two of you, it no longer exists. This... 'Alicia' is dead."

Fate glared and growled at that, "I won't... accept that...!"

"Do as you please. Soon enough, Espada will create room in the universe for us, using Outrage."

"And what is Outrage?"

* * *

"Outrage? What's that?" Arf asked.

Sol really wanted to not tell this story, but he was backed into a corner, "Depends on what you know about Al Hazred."

Nanoha did her best to summarize, "Um... a world that was too technologically advanced... and it destroyed itself because of that. All that remainders of that world are called Lost Logia."

"Yeah, and tell me, how was it destroyed?"

"Uh..."

Yuuno picked up for Nanoha, while fixing his glasses, "The history of Al Hazred is mixed with so many missing holes and legends it's hard to tell fact from fiction. Flood, explosions, dimensional collapse, there are stories using all of them."

"Let me tell you one, then." Sol smirked.

* * *

Aaronerio Arleri held up his arms to the dark ceiling, as if it were the heavens above.

"At the dawn of the new century, on a world that would destroy itself, mankind discovers an incredible power source. Infinite in strength, output, and application. This energy, it could only be classified as magic. This is the era when magic became a branch of science..."

* * *

"...Unfortunately, humans, if anything, think about how to use it for war, rather than peace, at some point. So, wars that were fought with guns, were now fought with magic. The same standard bullshit..."

* * *

"...Regardless, magic science advanced. Then one day, a wise man called Fredrick found a way to place magic into the very cells of living creatures itself. He delighted in the monstrosity he built. Man had created a perfect soldier. Stupid, strong. A cog in a machine that could fight until it died, and then be replaced. Even more refined beings could be comparable to the next level of the human race. Immortal, strong, beautiful. Fredrick called these new monsters, Gears. With the Gears, wars became safe. Humans became great. Fredrick even proved such thing, turning his own body and mind into that of the first of the Gears..."

* * *

"...Wars don't get safe though. There's no such thing as safe. All the countries in the world wanted simple, inexpensive Gears for war purposes, but so far, after Fredrick became the first, Gears didn't have any intelligence of their own, or even the capacity to have a will to live. So another man perfected Fredrick's Gear theory. He created something called a "Command Gear"..."

* * *

"The great Commander was also a great Mother. Seeing her children in bondage by the denizens of Al Hazred, she declared war on her creators. And so Gears sought to destroy man to the last. A war followed, between the masters and the Gears. One hundred years of endless fighting, which scoured the earth and burned the atmosphere from the sky, and put so much magic in between one couldn't breath without feelings the energy sear their lungs. When this conflict was over, the Gears had been eradicated."

* * *

"... Fredrick... the Gear guilty of all of this... felt responsible for this stupid hundred year bullshit... and he didn't want it go on forever... he created an anti-Gear weapon, Outrage. Though it didn't get used..."

* * *

"...Man looked about them and saw their prize. Al Hazred. A planet shattered by magic and Gear. They left the dying planet, as well as Outrage, and departed for the stars, to live in other dimensions and other livable worlds..."

Fate was silent, as she listened to Aaronerio tirade on.

"Did you know that the legends surrounding Outrage say it is so powerful, it can shatter planets on the far side of the galaxy? That Outrage was so powerful, it was built in eight separate pieces in the first place?"

"The Jinki..."

"We did not think this Al Hazred legend would be true... or even matter, until we found the first of the eight Jinki by accident. We have spent our entire lives, researching what legends we could, and directing Our efforts to painstakingly collect these weapons, one by one. We're sure you recognize that the Jinki, individually, though powerful, are primitive. True. But the Jinki themselves are nothing more than magic capacitors and system processors for the complete Outrage. Outrage... the first true Device that was ever built by human hands..."

Fate was uneasy... "This weapon... are you going to use it to blackmail the TSAB?"

"No. We are simply going to fire Outrage indiscriminately at any civilized planet we, the Espada, feel."

Fate felt her brain stop, truly, at that, "...What...?"

"We will fire Outrage again and again. We will destroy civilization. We will topple this universe into the abyss, never to recover. We will create fire and burn away greed and complacency. We will burn away thinking and wanting. All that will be left... is an glorious eternal conflict... spanning the whole universe, that will purify everyone's soul. People will remember what it is to truly need another, and truly live... and we the Espada, will find purpose again, rejoining the masses as everyone fights to survive. Everyone will have but one true purpose in life: Live. Fully, truly, every day, for it may be their last."

Fate choked, unable to think at the sheer... "It won't work... you're insane... people won't accept such a...! You can't!"

"We are insane, most likely yes. That is what the many say to the few who have an idea that they do no accept. It is a matter of world view. And Ours... will truly be better."

Aaroniero Arleri pointed his finger at Fate contemptuously, "In a matter of weeks, as we fire Outrage again and again, and horrify the universe with the fact that something has destroyed it from a location unknown, and everyone is fighting for survival, burned free of their flimsy preoccupations, perhaps you will be called the insane one, for saying that people should live in a universe where people should live uselessly and fat, and only certain few have the right to exist for no reason at all, except the manner of their birth."

"I won't let you...!"

"No matter what, Outrage will be summoned in a few hours. We will rewrite the truth of the universe."

Aaroniero Arleri left the wildly struggling Fate, who wanted to do everything to break free and stop him, somehow.

* * *

Aaoniero Arleri supposed he felt it refreshing to be able to talk to someone about it. Most other Espada already knew why they were staying. But to have a fresh face, that he could seek to find the words to explain everything so thoroughly again...

"Aaroniero-sama!"

The ghost turned around in the endless hallways of Catedral. A mere three hundred did not fill up the hollows of the fortress very well, so though everyone was excited with the prospect of Outer Heaven, the halls remained as empty as before. Thus, it was easy to see Phoenix scampering up from behind. Following behind limply and contently was Arnage, hands in his pocket, easy snake smile on his face, and white sunglasses covering the windows to his soul. Aaroniero, for now, ignored the psychic. For now. He turned his attention to his charge.

"Phoenix Entierro. Are you well?"

"Yeah! I got to show Arnage around the place. He's very attentive. He likes Espada a lot!"

Well at least Phoenix wasn't as bothered and distracted by the idea of Fate anymore. Perhaps Arnage was useful after all.

"Is that so..."

Arnage piped up at that, casually shrugging, "Yeah, you got a nice place. Phoenix was just showing me the engineering sections of Catedral. Cool stuff."

"Arnage..."

"Yeah?" The psychic replied, reaching for his inhaler.

"Why did you seek out Espada?"

"What... can't you tell? I'm just like all you guys here."

"You speak of your powers, We assume."

"Well, sob story enough." Colt smirked, while drew up his right arm to make an example of the sharp purple edges that grew and phased their way out of the sleeve, "But really, I was abandoned as well, experimented upon, turned into a weapon, simply because of a gift I have... or had."

Phoenix looked up between the two men, "Had?"

"Well... my powers used to be more natural... but then the scientists... well, they replaced all the blood in my body with an artificial substitute that does nearly the same job, but has some shit about powering up my brain. Well, as you can see, it fucked up my old abilities. Now all I can do is cut shit up and have really bad headaches."

Aaroniero Arleri folded his arms, "Do you know who did this to you?"

"A buncha scientists. I killed them all when I escaped."

"...And you sought us out after?"

"As soon as I heard there were more people like me... well, come one!"

Aaroniero hummed a little more, "You are a curious one. But you joined at an inopportune time. Soon, there will be no need of Espada. We will be accepted anywhere, so long as one can fight."

"No need of Espada, huh? Sounds nice. All this due to a giant laser gun, huh?"

"Outrage. A weapon that will usher in the future should at least be named properly."

"Alright, alright, Outrage." Arnage easily amended, before using his inhaler again, aerosol painkillers doing him much good to stop his nauseating head pains.

"In the meantime, We must prepare the summoning ceremony."

"Can I go with you, Aaroniero-sama?"

For a second, the taller Espada was surprised, "And of the confined mage...?"

Phoenix, under her hood, shuffled uneasily, "Well... Arnage said that some mages won't talk unless you... persuade them."

Aaroniero looked up at Arnage, "Did you? And you believe you're skilled in the art of persuasion?"

"Well, I took some dirty jobs in the past. Some of the involved making people talk. I've made mages talk. They're not very used to the concept of pain, what with all their barrier jackets and shit. Still, I have this feeling that this girl is probably going to blubber up all this sob story to get on Phoenix's good side. I'm going to make sure she tells nothing but the truth."

"The point of persuasion is to keep the informant alive."

"That doesn't entail having her keeping all her bits and pieces. I won't go into the horror stories of shit I've done. But yeah."

"Phoenix, you truly trust this man?"

Phoenix fidgeted again, "Well... yeah... he saved my life... and he's helped so much...!"

Aaroniero stared at Arnage for longer, the man returning the gaze amusedly.

Finally, "Very well. We shall excuse his presence on your account, Phoenix, let us go then."

Arnage interjected, "Ah... I'm not big into the gathering thing, though, since I'm a new guy. I think I'll just get to work on the Bureau mage a-sap."

"... Very well."

"Take care, Arnage."

"Later, Phoenix, Aaroniero."

* * *

Fate had exhausted herself a bit, from trying to struggle free. But now working her excess apprehension out of herself, Fate had time to think things through.

She needed to stop Aaroniero. She needed to get free, and out of the room. She needed a way to contact the TSAB of the situation. She needed-

The chamber's walls slid apart again, revealing a nonchalant wave.

"Yo, Testarossa Harlaoun."

"You...!"

Arnage smugly entered the room, walls sliding closed behind him.

"What are you doing here...?"

"Officially, slowly eliciting as much pain as possible from your body, in order to make you die screaming whatever you swear is the truth, while I keep saying you're lying. But I don't really need to know that. I already read your bio and life story and all that shit."

In a deft movement, Arnage pulled a palm sized metal tab from out of his white coat, and pointed the wide end of the rectangle at Fate.

The digital camera went click at her face. Fate blinked, confused.

"W-what do you mean...?"

Arnage looked at the photo preview. "Hmm... doesn't look urgent enough... Testarossa Harlaoun, could you clench your jaws for a second?"

Fate was only given the sound of his right knuckles cracking, before she ran on instinct and obeyed in time for the fist to be sent cracking across her face, her head snapping to once side. She coughed, spluttered, and spat out a few drops of reddened spit.

"And we'll have to let the bruise form and swell a bit, before I take a better photo... Oh, you were asking something?"

Fate coughed loudly again, before asking once more, "What do you mean... read my bio?"

Arnage shrugged, "Oh, that. Well, Phoenix said for me to figure out your life story, but like I said, I already know it. You know, Fate Testarossa, test tube baby from Precia Testarossa, who wanted to bring the dead back to life. Decided to potentially destroy the world, ended up kicking it. TSAB decided you were too cute to send to juvie, so they let you off with probation, you ended up getting adopted by the bizarrely hot Lindy Harlaoun, etcetera, etcetera. AAA Ranking mage or so, probably a closet gay for Takamachi-"

"Shut up!"

"Heh, aren't you serious one?"

"Why are you here...?"

"Oh, to kill some time, before the show starts-"

"No! Why are you with the Espada? What are you planning with Alicia-"

"What, you don't think I'm a man of my words?" Arnage retorted, feigning shock, while reaching for his inhaler again. After a deep breath, he continued, "I said. I'm with the side that wins. That's all."

Fate obviously wasn't convinced.

"Hey, Testarossa Harlaoun, you know where we are?"

Fate blinked, "What do you mean...? We're... in the Espada headquarters."

"Oh yeah, there's that, but..."

Arnage's sunglases seemed to gleam with mischievous pride. Like a child who was watching the bucket hanging over the door.

"...We're also in the memory of the Precia Testarossa incident, carrier girl."

"...What?"

"Oh, say cheese."

Click went the digital camera at Fate's bruised face. Pocketing the camera, Arnage walked forward. With the way Fate was suspended, it wasn't too hard for the psychic to embrace Fate around the waist, his grinning face resting on her chest, his chin resting atop her fabric covered cleavage. He looked up at Fate's disgust filled face.

"Testarossa Harlaoun, the terribly fun show will begin soon, so don't try to escape before it's your cue. You have a very important role to play in the upcoming performance... so don't disappoint. I'll leave a friend of yours with you, so when the time is right..."

Fate felt a familiar triangular shape slip in between the elastic band of her panties and the bare flesh of her hips. She seethed more.

"Don't disappoint." Arnage backed away.

"Oh... I wish I could leave... but... Phoenix is sure to check eventually about my 'progress'. I might as well do something for a little while to prove it. And since we're in the memory of Precia Testarossa..."

Fate sucked in her breath, as she saw a single tendril shoot out of Arnage's wrist, where it lay limp on the ground, tightening up into a coiled rope shape. Non-lethal, but still a shape that promised pain and memories that Fate desperately tried to bury.

Arnage swung the psychic whip around his neck, coiling it, "We might as well pay a bit of homage to Irony and Precia in one go, yeah?"

Fate's eyes widened.

Arnage shrugged and sucked on his inhaler before beginning.

* * *

Elsewhere, where screams were confounded and lost in the hallways, all the remaining Espada met in the central obelisk-like hub of Catedral. Within the triple floored room, all over the exposed balconies, illuminated by the torches of blue fire, Aaroniero Arleri stood addressing a mass of quivering white. Flanking him quietly were Phoenix Entierro, Friagne Dientedeleon, and Kuma Oso.

Between the crowds and Aaroniero's party, eight weapons and other odd objects were driven into the ground in a neat circle, written out and scribed in a magical array.

Aaroniero spread out his arms to silence the masses, "Brothers. Sisters. Espada. Our will has been reached. We have brought victory."

The many masked faces were practically jumping with excitement. Must there be a speech? Show us our future!

"Thunderseal. Fireseal. Stopping Fans. Flashing Tooth. Increasing Fervor. White on the Lake. And the two others in our possession, though their names have sadly been lost to history. After many years of searching, we now have them all.

"Gentlemen. What we want is a war waged beyond comprehension. Gentlemen, our loyal kindred who have held together for so long, despite the insurmountable odds... what do you also desire? A war that will define existence itself? The merciless truth of the frailty and beauty of life? Do we yearn for the battle that stretches the very fabric of reality, and spill into infinity?"

The masses cheered back. War. Heaven. War. Heaven. War. Heaven. War Heaven War Heaven WarHeavenWarHeavenwarheavenwarheavenwarheavenwaheavwanarheavarwenwahea-

Aaroniero stopped them with an outstretched palm.

"Very well. We shall have our war. All our might is here, in a clenched fist, ready to strike. For us, who have endured perhaps an eternity of injustice, of being abandoned by destiny for the sake of others... no mere war will suffice... A grand war! A grand war, waged with all our hearts and souls!

"We are not even an army. A mere three hundred collected ghosts... but I believe each of us are a veteran, worth a thousand of even the Bureau's lackadaisical mages. Therefore, we are already three hundred thousand strong!

"Let us drive out those who have forgotten us, let us waken the complacent who no longer recognize the value of life... grab them by their hair, wrench their eyes open, and make them look at our unmasked faces! We shall remind them what true fear... what true life is! We will make them remember the sound of war! We will remind them of things that exist between heaven and earth that don't think are possible... even in their wildest dreams! With an army of three hundred and Outrage in our grasp... we will rewrite this universe with ash!"

Aaoniero! Arleri! Aaroniero! Arleri! Phoenix! Kuma! Friagne! The brave warriors who have brought us to heaven's doorstep! Praise! Praise! Outrage!

Aaraoniero roared into the masses, perhaps the first time he had ever shouted.

"GHOSTS! ESPADA! LET THIS MESSAGE BE HEARD! EVERYONE MUST HEAR! **BROTHERS, LET US CREATE HEAVEN!"**

Aaroniero Arleri stamped towards the circle of Jinki, the hall resounding with wild cheering, arms wildy tossing for Aaroniero, who knelt down at the painted circle of rewritten destiny.

The ghost placed his hands on the seal.

"Klaatu, Barada, Nikto... the eight hearts are gathered, now rise, sword of heaven... Klaatu, Varata, Nicto... Outrage... Set Up...!"

_**وأنا على قيد الحياة وأنا على قيد الحياة وأنا على قيد الحياة وأنا على قيد الحياة **_

* * *

All the mages were silent at the sight of the new screen that appeared in their conference.

Ky was frustrated at his confusion, "What's the meaning of this...?"

"I don't know." Chrono simply muttered, staring at the screens.

Sol was silent.

"Some one... whoever sent this, wasn't even trying to cover his trail... he wants us to find him." Yuuno muttered.

Nanoha could only say:

"Fate...chan..."

In the screen, a still of Fate's bruised face, glaring back. Images of a large grate covering something in the wall. Words messily and sneeringly repeating through across the holographic projections.

"**Use the goddamn Force, Luke." - Love,****Ephialtes.**

* * *

Towering over the mages are the spires of Catedral. Inside is a future, defended by angry memories.

**Duel Ten: Achilles' Last Stand**

Let us fight. Let us die. Let us win.

**LET'S ROCK!**


	10. Achilles' Last Stand

Chrono's fairly favorable position in the Bureau allowed him to talk to the higher ups. Stolen Lost Logia, a semi-retired TSAB admiral that had been attacked, a detailed location of a terrorist stronghold and strong possibility of dimensional attack, all supported by eyewitness statements of trustworthy Bureau mage aces.

Perhaps, the Bureaucracy paperwork finally worked in their favor, as some three fully equipped and manned easily was placed into the operational care of Chrono. In a matter of days, Nanoha, Yuuno, and Chrono were quickly collected off Earth, the small dimensional fleet moving with full speed. Ky, Sol, and Arf remained behind to look after Lindy.

Even the Wolkenritter, before launch, harried as they were from their last conflict, still insisted on joining the mission directly from the Navy HQ they had arrived at, the HQ that prepped the _Claudia, Pillar of Autumn, _and _Sulaco._

"H-Hayate-chan! You shouldn't do this! Look at you!" Nanoha tried to complain.

"Don't worry about me, compared to the rest of my family, I practically got off easy!" Hayate tried to nonchalantly chuckle off. Still, some of the phantom aches from being thrown all over the floor from Razlo's Martyrdom still persisted.

The two of them were traveling with the rest of their friends in the _Claudia,_ of which Chrono had personal command of. While the others were scattered about the ship as they saw fit, these two legendary mages were conversing in a hallway which had a clear glass window into the outside of the ship, the roiling various planar energies and dimensional conceptual edges bypassed as mixing colors, while three ships moved at a speed so impossible, it could only be done safely in the non-physics between dimensions.

"Still Hayate...! You're going into a fight injured! You should think this through-"

"Nanoha, we're talking about Fate, and the very way of life itself hanging in the balance. If our roles were switched, and I was telling you to not go when you could, because of generally minor injuries, would you listen?"

The white mage opened her mouth at that, but apparently any proper retort was lost in the passage between her brain and her tongue. She waggled her jaws for a minute, easily, trying to find an explanation.

Unfortunately, her entire military career and modus operandi revolved around "Full Power! No Holding Back!"

"Ah... ah..."

"See?"

"Geez! Still! I would have expected you to care enough to try and talk me out of it, even if I won't listen!"

Hayate managed to break out into a laugh at that poutish whine. Listening, Nanoha couldn't help but smile herself, but there was somber silence soon enough. They looked out the window as their journey continually became shorter and shorter.

* * *

Elsewhere, in _Claudia_'s infirmary, Signum pulled her uniform back over a previously bared torso, Shamal finishing an impromptu inspection.

"Thank you." The Flame Knight curtly, rising from the bed to her feet. Shamal waved the thanks off courteously.

"I know you've probably been told this a hundred times already, but you have to remember, the healing spells aren't miracles. They're just supposed to keep you good until your body can catch up and properly heal. Even if we're fast healers, it's only been weeks since _Lancelot._ You're not going to be going into the fight at full condition."

Signum nodded, "I understand... but I still must go. Not only for Mistress..."

"For Fate-chan as well?"

"True... but not only that... also for myself..."

Shamal blinked, curious, "Yourself?"

Signum gaze became distant, "One of the Espada... Kuma... I know him."

"Y-you do? Is he from our past?"

"I believe so... the memories are fuzzy, but they're returning... Kuma and I have something to settle."

Shamal sighed, hugging herself, "So does Vita-chan, unfortunately."

"That's right. Mito. Where is Vita?"

"Practicing with Zafira."

Signum gave a wry smile, "Well, when I see her, I'll just have to tell her we'll have to see who gets to Kuma Oso first."

At the other end of a journey of three ships, was another climatic battle, to stop people from using a weapon, which a tyrant said could destroy a planet from the other side of the universe. But more importantly...

"Fate... we're coming... hold on!"

The thoughts of not just one friend, but a whole family.

* * *

**Duel Ten: Achilles' Last Stand**

* * *

When he received the news, Aaroniero Arleri was seated at the very top of Outrage, using his collected text to translate the alien Al Hazredian language that ran the operating software of the massive Lost Logia Device.

Outrage itself, was sizable, almost filling the center interior of the obelisk shaped central room of Catedral. The centerpiece of the ancient machine was a massive silver sphere, almost planetoid, neon purple veins running across its slowly rotating surface. Along the equator of the sphere, eight engraved metal plates had been implanted, holographic runes floating in front of each, a different color in front of each plate, red, blue, white, etc. Hovering over this large mechanism, was a smooth bodied machine that was vaguely shaped like a question mark. Starting at the equator of the sphere, it proceeded to ring it over top as a flat path, before jerkily continuing down the diameter till it hit the bottommost pole, where the machinery dipped downward till it stopped. Floating at the "back" of this question mark were six large flat contraptions, like wings to the Outrage. All these floating pieces held together invisibly in concert, neon veins everywhere, and floating pieces of digital, holographic Al Hazredian lazily orbited about the sun that was Outrage.

Phoenix Entierro stood passively, watching her master as he worked his way through debugging and understanding the machine he had called into being, his fingers rapidly drumming away at floating screens and digital keyboards that were accessing the weapon.

"How much sooner, Aaroniero Arleri-sama?"

"We are not sure... this language... is so expansive and complicated... We need time..."

Then the new arrived, a figure in white of some or other that Phoenix had never bothered with socializing before, frantic.

"Aaroniero Arleri! It's bad! A TSAB Fleet just exited interdimensional space and is closing in!"

That had the tall headed ghost standing up in surprise, Phoenix also blinking in disbelief, "What...? Give Us a visual!"

The messenger threw open another screen, showing three warships in the distance.

"This is not a obstacle to approach easily... It may be some thousand regular officers on those ships..." Aaroniero hummed, a finger rubbing the side of his mask in thought. Phoenix was near frantic, tugging on his robe unhappily.

"What do we do!?"

Aaroniero stared at the approaching ships for a minute, before speaking, "Ho w many know of this?"

"The news is being passed around in all the major areas of Catedral." The messenger answered.

"Give me permission to publicly speak to all sections of this facility. We are about to have a decisive battle."

"You're on the verge of bringing Outer Heaven, Aaroniero, at this time, you practically have permission to do anything." The messenger merely said, before disappearing from the chamber.

Not long after, a new screen saying "SOUND ONLY" came to Aaroniero, and his voice went into it, where it reverberated all over the halls of Catedral, where hushed and worried figures in white were everywhere hearing a large army nearly at their doorstep, when paradise was finally at hand.

"This is Aaroniero Arleri. Kuma Oso, Friagne Dientedeleon, come to me immediately. The rest of you, We speak to everyone who is willing to hear Us. Undoubtedly, you have heard, or is hearing now that in visible distance from this building, three warships from the Time Space Administration Bureau are coming towards us. Their aims, most likely are to war with us.

Three ships. There can easily be some thousand mages against the mere three hundred of us. But We are not afraid of numbers! All of us are veteran warriors to the last, experience and power within us. Not only that, we have Outrage in our possession, which We are shortly about to finish translation. We swear that our first target will be not only these three ships, but the Headquarters from which they came from, and the world that controls them all.

Do not be afraid! Be emboldened! We are fighting for our past injustices done to us, and the future grievances that will be done unto so many more in the future, the rich, fortunate, and greedy who dared strip so many of us of our meaning, to further their own ridiculous ambitions.

Brothers, we are a mere three hundred, but we have a duty to fight to the last. Recall the tale of the other three hundred warriors of legend, who fought not a thousand, but millions. The two of us are alike. We are both fighting the injustice of this life, because we are defending the dream of a better, purer, greater future! And even if all three hundred of us die, inside our bodies are more than flesh and blood. We carry an idea within us, which cannot be destroyed by fire or steel, or magic.

Even if we all die, let us die with such bravery and passion, that our successors, whatever they name themselves, Espada or not, the new generation of the disinherited, they will hear our story of a mere three hundred warriors, who came this close to bringing about a better future! Let our righteous victory bring about the future! Let our grand defeat secure another's future!

Order of the Useless Sword! **TO WAR!"**

And where ever Aaroniero's voice reached, a rushing torrent responded, a maddened rally of noble intentions and impassioned thoughts. Espada everywhere shouted their Devices into full form, as they all rushed to the main gate of Catedral, to head off the Bureau dogs in their faces.

Aaroniero heard the thundering echo all the way to his position, where he closed the screen. Behind the disintegrating window, Kuma and Friagne flew up and landed onto the top of Outrage, the cardsharp loudly applauding with his hands.

"Ah, Aaroniero, wasn't that a beautiful speech. It's a good thing you told me to come first, otherwise I would have willingly gone to the slaughter with the rest of us!"

Kuma and Phoenix gave disapproving looks at the remark, while Friagne bowed at the waist with a wave of his hat in hand. Aaroniero waved the whole issue off for more pressing ones.

"Enough. We are short on time. We must complete the translation of the operating software on Outrage as soon as possible. While We have no doubt the others at the front will hold off the Bureau dogs long enough, there is a possibility that the attack will be diversionary for a more subtle operation. You two must operate the Lost Logia defense mechanisms in Catedral, and protect the interior of this structure.

Kuma swirled around coldy, with Friagne following jauntily.

"Fine."

"Oh, a game on home ground! Not even Gil knew... and now some wretch is about to... heh!"

Phoenix watched the two Espada fall off the edge of Outrage, semi-passively, before Aaroniero hand was on her shoulder, assertive and assured.

"Phoenix Entierro... We will seal all the entrances into this chamber, except for one, to force a bottleneck. You must defend that passage. You will be our last line of defense."

"I understand, Aaroniero-sama." The hooded girl replied, pulling the rod off her back, the sealed coffin for a dead woman's Linker Core, "The Will of Espada."

"The Will of the Future."

* * *

What could be considered the "front steps" of Catedral appeared to be a giant platform of stone, sticking out from the center of the crazy mess of towers like a great tongue. Widening slightly as it reached towards the rest of Catedral, the platform terminated into the mouth of a canyon, the dark recesses constructed out of the topsy turvy turrets and towers, everywhere.

Chrono and Yuuno stood, clad in Barrier Jackets, staring at the hundreds of lights that clung all over the entrance of the tower, while the bass, like a wave, rose in the distance.

The glows of a hundred and more Engine Devices, and the war cries of dug in Ghosts.

Even with some thousand of their own, the men right behind Chrono and Yuuno seemed to shiver and and shuffle hesitantly, while holding their Devices close as good luck charms. Chrono bit back the urge to sigh.

"Espada are scary people, aren't they?" Was all Yuuno could nervously advise, before the Blue Breaker moved further ahead.

"I am Admiral Chrono Harlaoun, of the Time Space Administration Bureau. You are all under suspicion for illicit use of Lost Logia level material! If you do not resist, you will be granted a chance to plead in your own defense! If you consent to these conditions, lay down your weapons!"

Chrono shouted these words into the air between him and the lights on the canyon entrance. For a moment there was a silence. Then Chrono gasped and threw out his hand.

A fairly powerful magic spell slammed into the shield he created in time, sending him sliding back with enough force that he slammed into the mages behind him, who grabbed him messily, all of them stumbling back a few steps.

From the Espada in the distance, their mocking retort, "Bureau dogs! If you want them so bad, come and get them!"

Yuuno frowned at the rowdy cheer, while Chrono returned, brushing embarrassment off his shoulders.

"This isn't going to be pretty."

"Huh, you think, Ferret-boy?"

Yuuno sent a half-hearted glare Chrono's way, while the Admiral pulled free S2U from its sleep inside the thick metal card.

"Don't underestimate these guys, Chrono. They might have more firepower than us, in the end, if they use Engrajei."

"You got my back on this, right?"

"I have _everybody's_ back. Even the ones not here, Chrono."

Chrono returned the librarian's smirk, before turning his gaze to the Espada all over the front doors.

"Attack!"

* * *

Though above Catedral were the echoes of battle, Nanoha, Hayate, and the Wolkenritter navigated the underside of the stone fortress, flight magics guiding them around the upside down towers and spires that jutted downward.

"Hayate, are you sure about this?" Nanoha called out to the other party, as they continued roving the belly of the beast.

"Oi, don't doubt Hayate." Vita snorted back, "She watched the movie again just to make sure."

Hayate answered as well, as she looked about, "There's no doubt about it. The documents that were sent to us, that comment... whoever that person was, they were saying that there's a weak spot somewhere here we can use to get in..."

Inside Hayate's head, she heard Reinforce's voice echo, "Meister! Up ahead fifty yards!"

There, a particular turret was thrust outward. Though seemingly like any other, thick steam poured from a grated port built into the side of the tower.

"Is this it...?" Nanoha murmured, while Signum floated near, and plunged her naked blade into the steam, and pulling it out. Placing her free hand carefully across the flat of Levantine, she judged the situation, before turning back to her companions.

"This steam is fairly hot. I wouldn't advise staying in it for too long."

Shamal inspected the possibly entrance, also commenting, "It looks like a giant exhaust port, like Devices use for bleeding excess heat and magic after an attack spell... to have a structure like this active, they have to be having some high intensity spells constantly active."

That sent Vita groaning, "Great, our anonymous 'benefactor' is telling us the only way is to fly through a sauna made out of too much magic..."

"Barrier spells should be able to offset the worst of it, but I don't know how long it will last with all that excess magic rubbing on it." Zafira advised as well.

Hayate shrugged as she floated closer to the steaming portal, "It can't be helped. We'll just have to get through it as fast as possible. Nanoha?"

"Yeah?"

"I'll be needing you to make an exit for us while we're inside."

* * *

Steel grate flooring exploded outward into a twisted mess, letting steam spill out, uncontrolled, while the silhouette of six jumped out of the hole in the ground.

"Finally out! I swear, another minute, I'd be as red as my armor!" Vita muttered, though somewhat half-laughing at the thought.

As the party moved out of the column of steam, they found themselves in the lower levels of the Catedral. Inside the rounded hallway, gauges and pipes wrapped themselves into the walls everywhere, while glows of magic energy fed everywhere, lighting up the dank hallways, and filling it with a dull ringing bass, like the roar of engines in the distance.

Signum looked about her, "Looks like we made it inside..."

Shamal also commented, "This looks like the level they maintain all the engineering for the rest of the structure..."

"We all remember the objective, right?" Hayate asked, "Fate or Outrage, whatever comes first, as fast as we can."

Nanoha's voice hollered over, calling to see something she found. As they gathered onto the white mage, they saw what she was looking at.

Along one section of the wall, words were painted onto the pipes in a scrawling mess:

-**WELCOME TO THE NEXT STAGE!-**

"Hmph, looks like our "Ephialtes" is still expecting us." Zafira frowned from the back, as they continued reading the bizarre instructions, two pointing in opposite directions down the chaotic passage.

-**GO THIS WAY TO LIVE: NO FRIENDS AT HOME.-**

**-GO THIS WAY TO DIE: GET A HAPPY MEAL FLAG!-**

"...Happy Meal flag!? What the hell is that supposed to mean? I can't believe this person is playing around with us!"

"So which way should we take?"

"I'll go that way."

The Wolkenritter turned to Nanoha, who looked resolutely in the direction to Die.

Hayate was hesitant, "Are you sure? What if this guy isn't kidding?"

"I'll should go with you." Signum also answered with a step forward.

"No, I think Hayate is going to need all the help she can get from you guys."

"And what about you?"

Nanoha returned a smile, "You know I can take care of myself. Nickname, and all."

"Don't be stupid!" Vita snorted, "Your body! Don't say you're perfectly recovered-"

"Vita."

"...What?"

"Just this one time."

"Gah, fine! Don't use that tone on me! I won't forgive you if you die, though!"

Nanoha sheepishly, grinned, before hefting Raising Heart in both hands, "Well, let's end this, and bring Fate-chan home then, shall we?"

Hayate nodded, before slowly walking back in the opposite direction of the hall, "Then I'll see you when this is over!"

"Be careful, everyone!"

"You, too."

And their booted feet stamped down opposite directions, Nanoha to Death, the others to Life.

* * *

Eventually, Hayate and the others broke through the long passages of hardware and engineering, and into the "normal" hallways that were empty of Espada. barely lit massive tunnels seemed more fit for flying through, as they apparently suddenly connected into one or another without any logic. Though Vita was sorely tempted to comment on the architecture, they were running out of time, and merely opted for flying forward through the unmappable hallways as fast as they could.

And then Signum felt a familiar presence in the air. It closed in on her. With naught but a sigh, Signum slowed her movement until she was drifting behind the others. They turned back with confusion.

"Signum?" Shamal asked first. The Flame Knight gave a baleful sigh.

"Everyone. Protect Meister Hayate. It appears our unfinished fights have finally caught up to us-"

Then a black wall weaved itself into existence, cutting the corridor in two, the shocked knights on one side, while Signum disappeared behind it. They all rushed up to the barrier, hands against the wall as they all tried, tested, and pounded for weakness.

"Signum? Signum!? Can you hear us!?" Hayate pleaded.

"Damn. An enemy attack. They must have been biding their time..." Zafira swirled around, eyes on guard for anything new. Meanwhile, Vita continued to pound with her palms.

"Damn it! What the hell is this thing?"

"Reality Marble." Was the marble-cold retort. Vita and the others turned to match Zafira's direction. Down in the darkness, Friagne slouched in mid air, legs draped over another.

"Reality... what...?" Shamal sweated first.

Friagne fixed his gloves while speaking, "Reality Marble. It's a Lost Logia we Espada collected a while back, and integrated into the defense mechanisms of Catedral. It's a peculiar spatial phenomenon, where the reality of the universe, and the reality of the user's soul overlap, violating the laws of nature... creating the ideal battlefield."

"What are you saying...?" Hayate stepped forward, glaring.

"What I am saying, is that on the other side of that wall, my associate Kuma Oso, is going to kill your knight, aided by the memory of whatever it is that strengthens him, and weakens her. It is a very marvelous creation. Ah, the people of Al Hazred did create some wonderful things in their past time-"

"Shut up! You're going to tell us how to break through and destroy that thing!" Vita snapped.

Friagne shrugged, "Well, it's a simple matter of destroying whoever is projecting the Innate Bounded Field. Aka, me."

"So it's just a matter of beating you to get Signum out!"

Friagne tilted his head in confusion, "Signum? Since when were we on the topic of her? I thought you would be more concerned about the dilemma you people are in!"

"What!?"

Then a playing card floated in front of Vita's face, and another by Hayate, and yet more, like ash.

"Come now, were you so quick to assume that the barrier of the Marble was for just for that knight? No, the moment that wall came up, you people were already in _my_ Reality Marble."

Friagne snapped his fingers. And the darkness that none of the knights realized had been encroaching all over their world, suddenly was swept away.

And everywhere were cards. The endless horizon of paper. Crunching underneath their feet as the very ground, up in the air as a solid sky. While a few cards drifted down at a time, at points, the sky of cards trickled streams downward into pools on the ground, while bizarre Dali-esque shapes constructed out of playing cards protruded out of the ground at various points.

An endless plain of gray pink, made from a vast white intermixed with black and red.

The suited Espada threw out his arms, proclaiming, "Mistress of pain, I do dearly beseech, to welcome thee to Royal Gambit! Play, play, play to your heart's content! Play until your body dies. Play until your soul dies. Enjoy yourself, so that I too, may be pleased."

With that, Friagne Dientedeleon sank into the cards.

And all around the Wolkenritter, Friagne Dientedeleons rose out of the cards, chuckling, laughing, shuffling.

* * *

_The first time they met, she was standing beside her Meister stoically in the throne room, with the other Wolkenritter, while he, along with some privileged others, were prostrated on their knees._

_A young, plucky, ambitious lieutenant of sorts in Meister Laharl's army, he was on the fast track to being captain of Laharl's fortress security, set to take the position after his aging predecessor finally got around to fully retiring. He was in fact, already assuming a majority of the physical duties, leaving the administrative duties to his elder._

"_Fellow subjects. I have a new decree." She remembers Meister Laharl saying, "These knights beside me, are now my personal bodyguard. They are answerable only to me. Do not question anything they say or do. Their actions will bring our land the power to achieve anything."_

_There were murmurs of confusion. He looked on with confusion. Personal Bodyguard? These new people, out of nowhere, suddenly more important than his? The young and upcoming Captain of the Guard was expected to now bow to these strangers? She would have to be careful around him. A little Jealousy now might become a dangerous intervention later._

_"Do not question the decrees over your Lord! I say again, these knights are second only to me!"_

_That was that. Most of them grumpily broke up, others remains, speaking to themselves. She and the other, of course, merely passively stayed by the throne, even as Meister Laharl left, as he had given no order for them at the moment._

_Then he approached. There was an odd look in his eye. She tensed her body and her tongue. No doubt, he was either going to attack her now, either her body or her honor, and she would have to be prepared for what could happen. She had no fear though. A brat like this..._

_"Hey, so you're the new guys, huh?" He grinned. Apparently he wasn't very good at listening, either, "Either way, name's Ji&#(!)e. So I guess since we got similar jobs, we'll be buddies now, huh?"_

_And he offered her his open hand._

Signum looked on, snow falling around her. In the distance was a towering castle, that stretched upward to the point your eye and neck ached from seeing the gothic black spires, black gargoyles, black buttresses, flying or not, the artistry of the crumbling shell of a former home.

"This is..." Signum's mouth moved on her own, filled with nostalgia.

"Cocytus Vertical. A memory given form through hatred."

Signum turned around in the empty snowy field, to look at Kumo, who had drifts of snow collecting atop his beard head, his shoulders, atop that pouting snout, while his arms were folded.

"Kuma..."

The Espada threw snow off his body, while he unearthed Dos Colmillos, holding them loosely and pointed at the ground, "I've waited for this opportunity for years. Fighting you on that planet and ship could have been good enough... but to have you right where I want you..."

"Kuma... what did I do to you?"

The mechanical voice behind the teddy helmet snorted, "You still don't remember, even after seeing this?"

"It's slowly coming back." Signum coldly retorted.

"Good, that old voice. Because revenge is sweetest when the dying recognize the crime they committed."

Kuma swung out his swords in a flicker that left both of them pointed ahead, one ahead of the other, wide and ready to receive or begin attacking.

"Now come at me with all your strength, and all your skill, Signum. I want to watch you fight uselessly until the end, right before I kill you back."

For all this time, Levantine had been quiet inside its conjured sheath, which was held in Signum's left hand. Now the Armed Device was raised to chest height, Signum's eyes frosty like the snow about either of them, while her other hand grasped the handle and slowly pulled her blade free.

Kuma's masked head lowered at the sound of familiar ringing steel, mechanical breath hitching and shallow, overly eager to finish things.

Then, bulging bear eyes shot up, "SEE YOU IN HELL!"

The Espada spun in place, and where there was gentle snow, all that was left in front of Signum was a giant whirlwind that whipped blasts of cold and sloughs of snow at her with enough force to send her ponytail and the loose folds of her clothes flapping wildly.

A flicker. Signum threw up both her sword and cover in time to catch several large sharp chunks of ice hurled against her Device with a groaning clang. Even defended successfully, the force of shattering ice sent her sliding back in the white field that was transforming under a sudden biting blizzard. In the distance, where he originally was, Kuma Oso hunkered down and flung himself into the air. Signum leapt up to meet him.

With a strangled cry, Kuma practically threw himself at Signum, his body nearly parallel to the ground as he slashed away at Signum, who ducked under one, and parried with patience against the onslaught, till Kuma overextended himself on his last swing. The flame knight readied to swing Levantine at Kuma's blank face.

**"DIVISORIA SANGRIENTA."**

Signum managed to shimmy back in time for Kuma's sandaled foot to swing overhead, until the entire swordsman spun in place. A giant blade of rushing air shot point blank downwards, the edges just nearly skimming Signum's face, while the projectile smashed into the ground. Giant plumes of exploded snow rose into the sky, while Signum glared through the biting wind and sleet, across to the Espada in front of her, crouched like a beast, body leaning forward, legs splayed and tense, weight on the toes, Dos Colmillos in either hand.

"Kuma... you say for me to use all my skill, yet I feel you aren't doing the same. Stop playing. Let's finish this feud. My Meister needs me."

"Tch, just like always... Meister, Master, Mistress... I'll just send her along after you!"

Signum's glare only got more silently furious, while her grip tightened.

"Levantine. Cartridge Load."

**"EXPLOSION!"**

An empty shell flew into the blizzard air, before the falchion was streaming with fire. Kuma pointed his own weapons.

"Colmillos. I am the bone of my sword!"

**"****DIOS DE LA VENGANZA."  
**

From the hell of Cocytus Vertical, wind whipped about the once-dead Espada in a harsh blanket, while cold whirled about Dos Colmillos, coating steel with frostbite.

Signum charged forward, crying "Shiden Issen!", and Kuma met her with a similar rush of edges.

Magically overpowered flame and cold met, and the blizzard air around them exploded.

* * *

"Roaring Storm Gigant CRUSHER!"

Vita's massive hammer came down at the group of Friagnes in the distance, crushing dozens, while the ensuing shockwave that followed after threw up several more into the air, where they disintegrated into mere cards.

Opposite Vita, Zafira gave off a great roar and threw out his arms at another approaching mass of the Espada. Bursting through the card formed earth, lances of glowing solid light burst through, spearing through multitudes and destroying them.

Dozens dead, dozens of dozens more of Friagne Dientedeleon floating mockingly towards the pressed in Wolkenritter, Hayate in the center, chanting. Vita turned back, slightly harried.

"Oi! Hayate! Aren't you done chanting yet!?"

"...star in the sky, pierce mine enemies a thousand times, and a thousand more... Sohn des Morgens! Fire!"

And meeting Vita's demand, her mistress stabbed Schwertkruez into the air above them, glow on the staff shooting up into the sky like a flare, where it thereon exploded into a spitfire of arrows that showered the air and the ground around the Wolkenritter, stabbing through all and any remaining Friagnes in a shocked and gasping frenze, before exploding everything in bursts of flame.

The knights and their mistress panted bits of ash and burning paper flickering around them, while the smoke cleared, leaving Friagne a bit before them, clapping his hands genteely to one side of his body.

"Getting better. You've killed me 138 times already. I wonder... two hundred? Three hundred, before Lady Luck tires of you?"

"Damn it! This is getting stupid... he just keeps coming back!" Vita snarled at the white suited man in the distance.

Friagne chuckled, "Come now, am I still that difficult for you? I even revealed in our last game, for pity's sake, the nature of my Bluffing... and it's still too much for you!? How pathetic. I guess even with all that power, the blood's in your body, not in your head. And you're supposed to be my new nemesis after Gil-"

"Stop comparing me to him!"

"Why not? In the end, he's the only one in your entire Bureau who has to right to be known by name. If you can't even live up to something..."

Friagne drew his fingers back.

"...Then just die without anything! Royal Crusher!"

Snapping his fingers at the group, out from the card built sky, a giant arm crashed through, a giant limb that bled paper from its artificial frame. From this, the large fingers cracked a thundering snap of their own.

High above the Wolkenritter, a series of concentric circles formed out of cards spun about, increasing in speed, while a sparking blue sphere of power gathered.

Hayate choked, "EVERYBODY! MO-"

A meters wide blast speared into the card ground below, creating a blast nearly parallel to Hayate's own strength, the shockwave sending smoke and cards flying out from the center of impact. The forming crater was immense.

In the subsiding roar, the Wolkenritter stopped tumbling across the ground, landing on their faces or backs, while Zafira's barrier barely manged to hold out for any of them.

Hayate shook her head, trying to clear the explosion from her head, while Vita swore somewhere.

"Son of a bitch, where's my hat...?"

As She of the Night Sky finally got to her feet, she found the smoke clearing to find dozens more Friagnes ringing the four of them, while more large arms were pulling themselves out of the card sky and the card earth. All of their fingers were cocked, ready to arrogantly sound an attack.

"Scared? Mortified? I won't stop until you're bowing, asking to die!"

Vita sneered, stepping forward, "Give me a break, you cowardly pansy. We haven't even begun to get serious, yet! Eisen!"

The metallic call of "Zerstörungform" had the already large hammer grow a drill tip and a thruster on opposite faces of the Device.

"We haven't given up, Friagne...!" Hayate growled as well, gripping her own staff and staring at the one who was speaking. He audibly snorted.

"Don't get ahead of yourself. You're no high roller. Not at all. And I'll prove it!"

And as the attacks and various calls of various spells in various direction began anew, Hayate quickly glanced back to Shamal, protected by Zafira. Klarwind, floating off her fingers, were still shining with high speed calculation.

Hayate could only hope. Hope her betting was better than what Friagne assumed.

* * *

"_Hey, what do you think of the lord, anyways?" He asked, in between their breaks._

_Often, whenever she wasn't gathering Linker Cores for Meister Laharl, he would always be there to greet her, and talk to her. It was strange. She never cared for companionship, not even with the other members of the Wolkenritter. At times she felt she was even actively cultivating a negative personality, pushing away the regular security detail, which made it easier for her and for the rest of her team.  
__  
Except him. He just kept coming around, that brat of a Not Quite Captain of the Guard, with that cheerful smile. Saying, 'hey, since we got free time why don't we learn from each other and spar?'_

_Of course, he was young, and years too young to even start being legible opponent. But he remained, always talking too much, for the silence she had. Apparently, he just didn't get the idea that maybe he shouldn't even be anywhere around her. But he remained._

_On occasion, he would strike up an interesting conversation topic, though._

_She turned to look at him, slightly confused. They were at their usual 'sparring' place (which translated to her as 'some light exercise'), a half clear field within the confines of the fortress, grass that wasn't very green, due to being stepped on so much, some weed flowers that were growing where the lawn met the stone barrier wall. Him leaning against it, her standing out in the field passively._

_Still..._

_"You mean Meister Laharl."_

_"Well... yeah."_

_"He is my master. That is all I need to think of him."_

_He didn't seem to agree, the way he looked with a glaze over his eyes, and folded arms._

_"Serving the master, and doing as he wishes... is that truly honorable?"_

_"Of course."_

_"Even if he's not worth it?"_

_...What did he just say? Did he dare imply-  
_

"_Laharl isn't a good person. He lords over the weak. Steals property and land, raises armies just to conquer needlessly. And now he has you people doing all his dirty work. Signum, what's the reason we strengthen our skills, and train to be swordsmen? Is it just to hurt innocent people who can't even fight back...? It's just stupid. Yet he... Laharl... that man... he's not worth-"_

_"Speak another word, and I will have no hesitation to remove your head from your shoulders."_

_Her grip on Levantine was bone white. She was more than willing to defend her Meister's honor._

_"Signum, just think about it. If the time comes when you have to choose between the saving people's lives, or just obeying your master... well, I know you'll do the right thing."_

_"What makes you so sure I care about 'right things'?"_

_And he gave that smile, innocent and trusting, the young smile of a foolish Not Quite Captain of the Guard, dreaming to one day be a master swordsman.  
__  
"Because... despite what others think, I think you're a good person in the end, Signum."_

The flame knight winced, a sharp pain sliding across the back, and only made worse by the sleet slapping against the recent injury. With the small moment of respite Signum had, she managed to catch her breath, while she stood atop the roof of one tower that jutted out of the black fortress that stretched upward into the sky. The battle had already escalated, and turned the ground around the castle into a cratered blaze, before Kuma and Signum began chasing each other along the exterior of the materialized memory.

Every minute, the snow and wind was increasing his speed, while her own body was being weighed down by the same icy material. He had already gotten one good hit in, along her back, with enough force that the cloth armor jacket was cleaved in two, only able to keep a serious injury from becoming a fatal one.

_It's just a matter of time... then the Ghost will overcome me..._ Signum dourly reminded herself, as she used one hand to pull the now spent armor off her body, baring her shoulders, her other used to hold the mechanized longbow by her side. All over her body, minor injuries everywhere was beginning to add up. A glancing blow here, a shallow gash there. Under the snow, it was beginning to drain the knight.

_I refuse to die here, though. Not from a match up I've faced hundreds of times before in Testarossa._

With that, the flame knight wiped away the blood leaving her cheek, straightened herself, settled her breath, and waited for the inevitable.

Then the spire Signum was standing on became uneven, as faint lines of carved stone erupted all over the decorative structure. Pushing off, the knight leapt further up the the exterior of the tall fortress, while the architecture fell apart in the blizzard. She hefted the bow in her hand, once a sword, calling to it as Signum watched the silhouette in the falling rubble grow darker and larger. Two Cartridges flung themselves to the wind.

"**STURM FALKEN." **Levantine announced to Signum as she drew back her bow, the materialized arrow bursting into flame.

Letting the projectile fly, Signum could already see the induced snowstorm affecting her spell, even a high caliber one as hers, as the arrow's path slowly nudged away until it hit just off the side of the collapsing rubble, covering one side in scorching flames that melted the black stones. The course of the attack was still untrue, and it allowed Kuma to burst through, covered in sharp cold zephyr, both body and blades.

Quiet swears under her breath, Signum drew back and fired more times, many missing Kuma by miles in the blizzard, a few more managing to make the teddy headed Espada waver from side to side from inside his cocoon of chill wind to dodge the close shots.

The two of them darted about sides of the castle, Signum's arrows blasting sections of wall and exposing the interior to cold, while Kuma responded by slashing away at outcroppings of architecture, letting them fall onto her or kick them in her direction with his black lacquer geta.

"Good. I'm glad you've lasted this long..." Kuma growled, blurring about as he dodged the arrows shot at him, "I want you to die slowly. I want you to burn... bleed... suffer, as I have!"

"Was me killing you that much of a crime...?" Signum murmured through the sleet that was crushing her body and chilling her skin.

Kuma's head tilted in indignation, while they swung about each other, trying to outflank the next, "What?"

Signum drew back another arrow, aiming, "One who takes up the sword should only do so, under the expectation of being met by one at the end of his or her life... if you can't accept that, don't come to me, braying about revenge. Otherwise, you have no honor or respect as a-"

"Shut up!"

"**DIVISORIA SANGRIENTA: PERFECCIONADO!"**

A blade composed of pure force collided against another burning arrow, letting the air between Signum and Kuma explode. In the midst of the white steam, Kuma swept it away, barely able to breath with rage.

"Honor!? Respect!? Don't spew that bullshit at me! What about you!? Honor? Respect? You? You're just a dog for whoever holds the Book of Darkness! You don't even think! You just do whatever your master says! I bet if they said for you to die, you would do it without thinking! You mindless puppet! You mindless whore! Honor is trust! Respect is mutual! I had it once, before you took it away from me, along with my life! All I have left, is Hate! Is waiting for the opportunity to kill you! My great mistake! That haunts me! So DIE!"

**"DANZA AGUDA: PERFECCIONADO!"**

Kuma spread out arms, blades perpendicular, and lost his shape into a giant whirling top, wind visibly warping around him in a vortex. With this he charged towards Signum.

She drew one last arrow.

In a moment, a spinning Kuma crashed against a triangular shield emitted by Levantine, while Signum stood behind it dispassionately, securely placing herself in a stance and drawing her arm back, while she squinted past the sparking and trembling magic towards the top of the spinning mess, where the giant pouting head should be.

The shield cracked.

"**DAS SCHILD HÄLT NICHT."**

"I know. Give me what you can, Levantine."

A second later, Signum's aimed was perfect.

A second later, the shield broke apart, and windswept blades tore through the bottom half of the longbow, shattering it back into an ordinary scabbard. With it's dying defense, it managed to keep the wound exploding on Signum's side to being a mere heavy gash.

Gasping, Signum fell, barely managing to hold onto her original sword.

Kuma Oso also fell, a hole cleanly melted through the right eye of his pouting face, and out the other end.

"Levantine..."

**"SCHLANGENFORM."**

Lengths of bladed chain speared upward and tore through the side of the fortress and stuck fast, bringing Signum to an abrupt halt. Grunting at the jerking stop, Signum winced, and held her side. Looking ahead, she found Kuma's still body collapsed on an exposed awning, limb dangling, and head lolled back, while steam poured out from its new opening.

Signum groaned as she dangled, tired out from the over intense fighting. Most likely near all her cartridges had been expended, trying to keep up with the Espada, and she could seriously question if she even had enough magic just to support flight again.

"I'm at my limit..." Was all she could sigh.

"Is that it. And I thought you loved your mistress..."

Eyes widening in shock, Signum found that where Kuma was once smeared all over the section of the exposed wall, now was only two halves of a damaged mask disappearing into the depths of white below. Twisting her neck she turned in the direction of the voice that floated in midair, supported tenuously by the blizzard about him.

"...I thought all those bodies you left behind you, mattered."

"Kuma..." Was all that could be said at the ghost, who was missing a mask.

There were hazy memories of a man who liked to smile, his hair done up in topknot. All that was left was a scarred face, bald, white from lack of sunlight. His neck was forcibly braced in steel, and the back of the head multilated to fit some sort of glowing machine attachment that ran up to over his ears, if there were any left, and firmly attached to his lower jaw, disallowing the mouth movement. Between bared teeth, out from various points of his skull, plugged into his nostrils, metal braces and cables were dug in, entrenched and running along the skin back into the machinery at the back of his head. One eye was completely missing, leaving a machine red glow inside the shadowed hollow, while the other was bleary with tears, enduring a torture that had been felt for years.

Kuma's mouth did not move, like the mask once over top, but still emitted a raspy, breathless voice, as if through a badly constructed speaker.

"Ever since that day, my tears have never stopped falling...You won't stop making fun of me, won't you? I haven't taken off this mask for years, and how you have for force me to remove it to see you... are you mocking me, Signum, that you need to see what's left of me to recognize me? Or is it to admire the handiwork you did...!?"

Kuma blinked away a tear, growled, and pointed the one sword remaining of Dos Colmillos he was able to retrieve.

Signum grunted, pulled her blade back into a sword, and began to fall.

Purple miasma clung to Signum protectively.

"**PANZER GEIST!"**

Wind whirled around Kuma's sword pointed arm in circles.

"**BRAZO DEL VIENTO: PERFECCIONADO!" **

The epicenter of the maelstrom of air slammed into the wall that Signum had just fallen feet away from, before the entire stone face disintegrated. The blast of air continued inward through the opening, with enough force that the surrounding pieces of wall began to be sucked into the opening as well, along with Signum, who could do little more than flail around inside the vortex.

As the wall clear on the other side of fortress exploded in a flourishing finish to the spell, the shell of a man that was Kuma Oso glared, eye pouring forth tears, while looking on at the gaping tunnel he created, strewn with shards of stone.

Floating to the edge of the opening, Kuma's feet settled onto solid earth. He continued in, sword held limply at his side.

Deeper in the darkness within the wind drilled tunnel, Signum coughed and staggered to her feet, pushing herself with Levatine, whose tip was driven into the ground for support. Her hair was free from it's previous ponytail, now only a disheveled mess that fell over her shoulders and stuck to her face from the blood all over it.

Signum panted and bled, and listened the groaning and whining of icy wind passing through smashed passage, and the distinctive clok-clok of geta sandals that echoed louder and louder with each step.

Levantine's hilt slid away from the grip, and Signum pushed her remaining cartridges into the internal magazine.

**"NACHLADEN."**

_Two Cartridges. Only two moves, before I'm left with just sheer skill._

_I won't lose. I won't lose to this man. Not while I'm away from Hayate, who needs me, or Testarossa, who needs help. I won't lose._

With a deep breath, Signum brushed away her hair as best she could, stood tall, and waited.

* * *

"Shuffle Nova." "Shuffle Nova." "Shuffle Nova." "Shuffle Nova." "Shuffle Nova." "Shuffle Nova."

Cards drifted through the air gaily for several seconds, before the cloud of printed numbers and symbols detonated, turning into small explosions that multiplied over a huge space. Narrowly leaping free from each blast, the Wolkenritter, covered in char, while they continued flying as fast as they could, cutting down whatever giant arms came out of the sky or sea of paper above and below, while the innumerable copies of Friagne pursued jovially from behind, sadistically prolonging the game to merely see how long till they opted for a pathetic 'last stand'.

All the while, Hayate furiously conferred back to Shamal, battle tactics and info being thrown together hastily.

"Shamal! You figured anything about this place yet!?"

"I think so, if we assume this place is merely an expansion of his previous powers already!"

"And!?" Vita quickly insisted, momentarily turning back to swing her massive drill hammer behind her to knock away various flying projectiles and smash apart more Friagnes.

"I've been scanning this place and thinking about that ability of his, that 'bluffing'! Even if you have enough devices to compute and translate a human body, Friagne can't possibly write himself out of reality... he must have somehow found a way to create a pocket dimension, and the cards are somehow gateways from which he can produce a copies from, probably based on equivalent trade of mass... but with this space, it's a second pocket dimension sitting on top of Friagne's... and the connection is even more open than in regular reality-"

"Shamal, English!" Vita whined. Hayate translated as best as she could understand.

"So you're saying we can blast through these walls to reach Friagne?"

"Sort of. It's not so simple as breaking through a wall, though-"

"Regular Sharp!"

The party instantly turned their attention to raising barriers to fend off a swarm of razor sharp cards that bounced and slid off their shields at various angles. Before a Friagne could capitalize and reuse the deflected cards, the knights were already taking off, slashing away several more giant hands and other limbs that tried to hamper their escape.

"What's the difference?" Hayate continued to quickly ask.

"You have to think of this place like a giant program. After you break through the exterior physical reality, there's still some several firewalls to break through, then you hit the actual code underneath. There, someone has to know how to take control of it, then we can reverse the logic between the two dimensions, so that the real Friagne will be on the same side as us, while all his card powers are where ever he was!"

"You're sure?"

"That's what Klarer Wind seems to think!" Shamal responded, motioning to the pendulums floating off her fingers.

"We've probably only got one chance at this..."

"Tch. We'll do it perfectly in one go!" Vita confidently sneered.

However, in their flight, the boundless floor spat up a giant wall that cut off the Wolkenritter mid flight, of which it extended to either side infinitely, and reached up to connect to the sky of cards. The knights with their interrupted movement, could do little more than slam up against the surface, which was as solid as the diamonds printed onto it.

"I should have done this earlier, honestly." Friagne's voice drawled rather haughtily. As the four of them tried to run down either side of the wall, two more walls ascended, vying to turn the infinite wall into an claustrophobic dead end. Twisting around, Hayate and the others glared at the far end of the constructed corridor, where Friagne stretched himself across a cobbled throne like structure that was grown out the walls.

"Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide... all that's left to do is die."

Out of all the surfaces, chains of joined cards spat out, rushing out at the knights, who had all their eyes widening in horror as they tried to raise something, anything-

"A barrier-!"

"It's too fast-!"

"Zafir-!"

The coils of paper had already drawn tight and lashed themselves all over the bodies and limbs of the Wolkenritter, tying them securely in the air while they struggled.

Friagne stood from his constructed seat, an Ace of Spades in his hand, "Let's end this fittingly, shall?"

With a half-hearted toss, the card fluttered across to the knights, where Friagne commanded with his fingers and voice.

"Full House Crash."

The small object enveloped itself in a brilliant glow that masked out everything in sight, before going up in a giant concussive detonation, a blaze of fire and a shock wave so strong it punched craters in even the walls of Royal Gambit.

"So ends the reign of Yagami Hayate, Mistress of Pain... a pathetic passing of time, compared to... better days, and better rivals. Goodnight."

Out of the smoke, unmoving, blackened forms fell out, and limply crashed onto the card ground below.

* * *

"_Why are you telling me this?"_

"_Because... well... don't you want to be free, Signum?"_

_In a unsettling difference, he asked her to come out to the field early in the morning, when the sky was turning in blue in preparation for the rising sun. There, unsettling details about the planned events later tonight were revealed, much to Signum's chagrin._

_"I am Meister Laharl's servant and bodyguard. You are telling me to revolt against him, tonight?"_

_"You're your own person, Signum! The Book nor Laharl... Laharl especially, doesn't control you!"_

_"I am just a program, the Book's will given shape. You are being foolish, Ji#&!()#ke."_

_He shook his head and flung that notion aside with an arm, staring at her intently, "You're not just a program! You're here, real, like any other person! You don't have to follow the orders of an evil man like that, none of you have to! We don't have to! Tonight we're going to put a stop to this insanity! All of us! The guards, the soldiers, me-"_

_"I cannot rebel."_

_"Then don't fight for him either. I promise you Signum, after tonight, I'll free you. We'll free everyone. Laharl doesn't own us. I won't let him own you, either."_

Explosions climbed upward within the blackened fortress, while the winds howled outside and through the larger openings in its walls that were sometimes unwittingly created in the furious melee. Tattered banisters and frail carpets, the sparse decorations of Cocytus Vertical fell apart in uneven pieces as Signum and Kuma slashed up the halls around them unwittingly in their deflected blows and and attempted strikes that managed to hit everything but not them.

Signum leapt away, down the corridor, the first of the two last magic infused shells exploding out of Levantine. With gentle twists of her wrist, Signum had her sword spiraling out into segmented links one more time, swirling about her, while purple flames crawled along the length of the whip like weapon.

"Hiryu..."

Kuma stood there, blankly watching while water dribbled half frozen from his eye.

"...ISSEN!"

Unassisted as it was without its scabbard, Signum whipped the length of blade with all the force she could muster. Levantine whirled down the small hallway, along with the flurry of thrown flames, turning everything between into flaming wreckage that was hurled as well at the maskless ghost. Even the floor and the walls fell apart into serrated chunks that were flung forward from the force of the attack.

Covered in cold wind, Kuma disappeared as the first flames and wreckage reached him. Signum snorted as she saw the man leap from one flying piece of stone to another. Even when she flung her Levantine to catch Kuma as he leapt about from the pieces of cover, crushing the burning stone or striking between open spaces, the undead fury continued his nimble dance about, until he was on solid ground again, and rushing towards Signum. With a yell, Kuma swing and stabbed, though the knight managed to avoid the swings at her face, bringing up her reassembled sword to lock blades with him, sword to sword, pressed near each other's face, while sparks skittered from the meeting edges. Trying to gain an upper hand in momentum, the two found themselves rushing down the remainder of the surviving corridor, their blades still in unison.

In a sudden move, Signum's foot reached ahead in another step, but rather than continuing to run, her other leg lashed out in a wide arc into the side of Kuma's head in a loud crunch. Though, instead of the sight of Signum's metal boot toes dug into Kuma's head, the Espada's free hand had caught her by the ankle.

Signum gasped for a second, before she found herself being toss through the air by the captured limb. While she was left dangling in the air, Kuma was already moving, and in a blink of an eye, slamming his shoulder into her gut with enough force to leave her coughing up red. With the force of the blow struck while free floating, Signum could do little more than unceremoniously rocket off, skipping off the ground with loud crunches, while her armor's barrier could last, until she all out plowed through a wall in a loud crash, more black stone and mortar coming apart and strewing themselves across the floor along with the knight.

The throne room had been maintained well, even if it was a memory. A medium sized all, with the disappearing and faded red carpet running down the center, while columns lined and decorated the center of the hall. There was a door at the far end, but Signum had opted for coming through the lengthwise wall to the left, with the new gaping hole. At the other end, atop several steps, the large chair remained, almost more built for reclining lazily than actually sitting.

Bleeding, bruised, tired, with only one cartridge left, Signum staggered back, resting against on column, panting, while she watched the crying ghost walk through the hole they made.

"I hope you at least remember this place, Signum. It was where we first met. It was where we parted ways too many years ago to remember." Kuma's voice echoed out of his neck harshly.

Signum didn't bother responding.

"Hmph. Too tired and injured to even shoot back some cool reply like you usually do? How much the tables have turned... perhaps I should even kill you in the same way you did me. I even remember the stroke. Entering from my left collar, down and across, exiting my right hip. You remember, that Signum? You want to relive that sensation, SIGNUM!?"

The flame knight, even nearly extinguished as she was, managed to jump aside as Kuma swooped in and cleaved through the column she was supporting her back with, rolling to her knees in front of the throne. The Espada was already upon her, swinging his lone sword down at her face, which she warded off with her own sword. An underhanded swing of Kuma's sandaled foot, however, crashed into Signum's already maltreated torso, sending her back colliding into the sharp steps leading up to the empty throne, eliciting a sharp gasp of excruciation from her

"Rrrraaaaaggghh!" Kuma dove down. Signum was too slow.

The katana sunk through her gut, and out the other side, hilt meeting belly, and cool, bloody steel lodging itself into the stone behind. Signum spasmed, barely able to grasp her sword in her fingers, her head jerking back, white eyes and mouth widened, sudden pain to great to even voice.

Kuma, glaring, withdrew his hold on his sword, leaving his prey pinned down while she grit her teeth, mastering the pain as best she could.

"Don't be so melodramatic, Signum. You're a program. It probably doesn't hurt nearly as much as it would if you were a real human being. Probably the only real way is to destroy your head... even then, I suspect your current master could just revive you... how cheap death is, huh, Signum? Kill hundreds, die yourself, and start all over again like nothing ever happened... I wonder how you felt when you killed me? Did our time together even matter... or was I just an annoyance? Tch."

With no sword, Kuma merely gripped his fist, calling a small vortex about his arm, flapping the cloth sleeve while he stared at Signum.

"This is the end...!"

"...You threw away your sword."

Kuma found himself hesitating over that whisper, "...So!?"

"...You prided yourself on using two swords... to attack and defend, to fight multiple enemies, to strike faster, to continue even when you lost one... I understand when you lost the first earlier... but you let go of this sword..."

"I don't need Dos Colmillos to kill you. I'll just crush your head in."

Signum coughed in a way that almost sounded like a snort, "Wrong... a swordsman's pride and soul lies in the partner of his blade... weren't you the bone of your sword? I remember how often you said you wanted to surpass me... but you threw away your swords... and resorting to a techniques of a brute... where is your pride and dignity, Kuma?"

"I already told you! I lost those the day you killed me... the only thing I have now is the memory we're standing in! All I need is that to remember how much I hate you... and I'll use anything necessary to kill you... that's all that matters now!"

"No... you're wrong. Even in death, you still could have had your integrity. But I can see now... Kuma... you lost the moment you threw away your swords..."

"...What?"

Signum's hand gripped the handle of the Colmillos, "And now... you will never equal me... throwing away all your pride, and your future... to hold onto your angry memories... but I have to survive, because I need to return to those that matter to me."

"Tch, your precious masters, again"

"No... my family."

And Signum stared hard back at Kuma, with a piercing gaze of such ice blue, it forced even the Espada back a few steps in uneasiness, even with all the strength he had now.

A growl of determination, and Signum push herself forward, while her arm pulled on the blade that impaled her. In a final jerk, Kuma's sharp Device was pulled cleanly out of the stone and out of her body. Staggering forward onto her feet, Signum dropped the sword at her feet, and clutched the wound on her stomach, while her grip on Levantine was reaffirmed.

One more deep breath, and Signum calmly stared at Kuma, who was furious and shocked at the sudden change in atmosphere, unable to believe.

"Levantine."

**"EXPLOSION."**

The last cartridge flew, and the sword burned bright.

"I'm sorry Kuma Oso. But you're right. This is the end."

Kuma's eye was livid with rage, while his bared teeth ground each other so hard blood began to fall from the gums. Screaming, he swung his arm in an arc towards the knight, fierce air firing from the limb.

Signum stepped to the side calmly while the throne beside her exploded in two pieces, debris flying, and her hair waving from her head like a curtain, before she rushed forward, hand on stomach, Levatine burning and sparking along the ground.

"Shiden..."

Kuma screamed, swinging his palm horizontally, and Signum ducked under the blast that crushed pillars into two pieces and destroyed the wall behind her. Closing in, Flame Knight Signum began to swing, while Kuma brought down his fist, calling down enough wind and frost to burst down through the ceiling in a rain of force that was more than enough to crush the both of them.

"SIGNUM!"

"...ISSEN!"

* * *

_It was not often she wore the armor Meister Laharl created for them, while within the boundaries of the fortress. Grim, bulky, genderless, masking any sense of humanity the moment the helmet came down, and all four of them wearing a uniform design, varied only in dimension._

_There they all stood impassively, flanking either side of the throne, while Meister Laharl sat bored, the Book of Darkness in his lap, while sounds of revolt echoed through the halls, people dying for or against the overlord._

_The doors were kicked open finally, him at the very front of it, clad in full armor, and his two swords._

_"Laharl!"_

_"I see things have come to a head. Coup d'etat? Jealousy?"_

_"Justice! We won't let you and your evil schemes continue anymore!"_

_"Really? You think you can stop me? You're just a human... but I... am on the verge of god hood... with this Book... I'm only a hundred pages away from ruling heaven, hell, and everything between and beyond... I'll be the first to have ever completed the Book of Darkness... you think someone like you can stop me!?"_

_"You aren't god yet, Laharl! You're just a tyrant! One who's about to be taken down!"_

_He clapped his hands. A typcial gesture for action on their part. They wordlessly clanked armor as they unearthed their weapons. She watched him grimly stare at her, all of his men that had survived till now backing away in fear. She was a dangerous warrior, after all. A tool honed to razor's edge, with its own ability to act, though completely under the thrall of its master._

_"Signum, don't do this. I know you're better than this...!"_

_"Fool. You honestly believe you can just talk them out of this... they are MINE! They are my perfect warriors. They will never falter. Especially for some pathetic whelp like you! Wolkenritter! Protect your master! Slaughter these men and harvest their Linker Cores... whatever worth they are."_

_The words left her mouth without her ever even realizing it, while she pulled Levantine from her scabbard._

_"Yes, your Highness. Load Cartridge."_

_They were low level mages, and fairly average swordsmen, too. She, Vita, and Zafira were ages of solidified experience and instincts, and Shamal was far from useless either, with strings and portals._

_"Signum! No!"_

_Orders were orders. Slaughter. Slaughter the men. It was down to a few handfuls when he interjected, his swords crashing against her own._

_"Run! All of you! I'll meet up with you later!"_

_"B-but-"_

_"I'll figure this out! But we can't all die here! Go!"_

_And they all tried to run. But he was only one, while Vita and Zafira pursued, while reinforcements loyal to Laharl regrouped outside the main keep._

_But the two of them continued to clash, Laharl watching, humorously entertained._

_"Signum! Don't do this! I don't want to fight you!"_

_Then what was the point of all those spars? It all came down to this. Don't hold back. Why are you holding back? Foolish youth, now wasted._

_Wasted slowly, as cuts from near misses slowly drained him of life and strength._

_He staggered, continuing to be defensive, "Signum... talk to me... don't hide under that armor... I know you're in there... talk to me! I know you're better than this! You don't have to live like this! You're not a puppet! You're a person!"_

_She ripped up an arm, forcing him to drop one blade, while his other traded blows with her helmet, shattering it, and exposing her face to the heated air outside._

_It was easier to see him now, face to face, rather than behind grates. Hunched, panting, bleeding, barely holding onto his sword. Clothes tattered, Levantine's heated edge making short work tearing steel armor and cauterizing flesh._

_"Signum... please... snap out of it... don't look at me like that... don't pretend you don't have a soul... all those times we talked... you're better than this, Signum! I trust you... I know... you can choose... to do the right thing...!"_

_"Ritter. He's getting too melodramatic. Just kill him already."_

_"Yes, your Highness."_

_It didn't even require thinking. Just action._

_"Signum..." he staggered forward, eyes still trying to shine with that blind hope of his, "You're strong... strong enough to listen to yourself... you're not a tool, Signum...! The Book doesn't own your life-"_

_It was such a simple stroke. A practiced technique even a novice should have known. Enter the target's _ _left collar, down and across, exiting the right hip. Simple. Clean._

_He fell to his knees. He couldn't even believe the obvious truth._

_"Signum... why...?"_

_And that was how they parted. Him bleeding all over the floor, her standing there impassively, Laharl laughing wildly, how stupid could a human get?_

_It was the second to last time Laharl would laugh, the last being a month later, just a few moments before the Book of Darkness went out of control with its 666 pages, and proceeded to consume the planet whole._

_DATA FILE 5681292 RECOMPILE SUCCESS. SAVING._

* * *

It was snowing gently through the hole in the ceiling, like pieces of dreams.

Signum was kneeling on one foot, one hand on a raised knee, the other pressing Levantine's edge into the ground, while blood dripped slowly.

He didn't have very much blood left in his body, after the countless years. Even though his body had been shorn in two, his legs and pelvis a few feet away from this rest of him, all that trailed out from the gaping opening was an empty hollow, with trailing cables and fiber optics sparking and spilling out like some sterile substitute for organs.

A groan, as internalized life support systems were slowing down, him on his back, staring blankly at the white sky above.

"...I killed you."

"...how... all this time... waiting for the perfect opportunity... I was supposed to..." The voice coming out from his throat and unmoving mouth was breaking up, filled with static.

"...You were a fool to put such blind trust in me."

"I had faith... faith that you had your own soul... and in the end... you just threw it in my face... in the end, you just love whoever holds the Book..."

"I was a fool to have that blind trust, too."

Choking, growling, gritted teeth, as if trying to muster all the life he could in his anger.

"Signum...! How could you kill me...!? I was the only one who could see you for who you really were...! I was the only one who didn't treat you like an enemy... or a tool...! I trusted you... Signum! With my entire being...! My entire heart...! And now... now you are free...!? Someone else... !?"

"Mistress Hayate... was the first one to ever love us back."

His face wasn't even sure how to move at that comment. That final, damning phrase.

"But I was a different person, then. Those days with Laharl were times I now regret, as are countless others I probably do not even remember. I regret more that I would even forget there were people who trusted me then, like you. Even if you will not accept them now, I thank you for that... and I am sorry."

He continued looking up into the white sky.

"But now we must part ways again. I must move on, and so should you."

"Move on...?"

His electronic gasping broke into cynical chuckling, while Signum looked down on him with narrowing eyes.

"Move on!? Heh... I won't ever do that..." He turned to stare intensely at Signum, somewhere half way between a sneer and a growl, eye watering, "As long... as I have my soul... I will... never forg...e...i you...!"

That was when the light left his eyes, his head dropping back, only darkness in the sunken, sleepless pits that were once eyes, a final long exhale that left nothing inside his mutilated body.

Signum sighed, and reached beside her, placing the one Colmillos, stained red along its blade as it was, onto his frozen chest, in some impromptu warrior's funeral.

"...Goodbye, Jinnosuke."

And Cocytus Vertical fell apart.

* * *

"This... isn't over."

The walls had dropped, and Friagne was about to simply opt for dissolving the bodies into his Realty Marble, when he heard Vita's defiant mumble. Looking down, he chuckled in amusement as the Wolkenritter gathered themselves one more time.

"_Still_ kicking? This tenacity is insane..." The Espada laughed, as he stood in mid air.

"Shut up," Vita snorted, "I... we won't lose to someone like you! Not to some coward who doesn't even have the guts to fight us, face to face!"

"Hmph... you should remember who's the dealer here. Who's the table. Who's Reality Marble this is. I am a god here." Friagne chided with a finger.

"Yeah, I know this is your fancy theme park here. I also know we're essentially sitting on top of your real body here... all I need to do is just break through the floor here!" Vita sneered.

"What a foolish notion... I'll enjoy using your faces for my next edition of Jokers." The Espada mocked, folding his arms.

All the while, Hayate whispered in their minds quickly, (_Zafira, I need you to look after us. Shamal, stay back... Reinforce... I don't like to do this, but...)_

_(This is the only way, I understand. Leave it to me!) _Hayate could hear her companion chirrup encouragingly.

_(Thanks... are all you guys ready? Then let's go!)_

With that, Vita begun, "'Foolish notion'? Oi, you don't have any idea who we are then...! Then before we beat you up, remember this! First, I'm the Iron Knight, Vita...!"

Swung up into the air high above Vita's head, Graf Eisen roared, Cartridges exploding.

"...With Graf Eisen, and for the people I love, there's nothing I can't destroy! Destruction Hammer!"

The drill spinning on Eisen, and rocket boosters flying, the Device hurled itself headlong into the card ground, the tip sparking and screaming as it slowly penetrated the mass, shredded paper flying from the point of impact.

"More... more! Give it all you got!" Vita shouted to her hammer.

"**JA!"**

The chambers moved back and forth, drinking down magic and spitting out three more empty shells, as the drill drove deeper into the boundaries of Royal Gambit's reality.

With a scream and a final push, Vita completed her swing, Eisen ripping a large gash through the cards that was not healing immediately. Underneath the layer of reality, an inky darkness remained, periodically broken by a blink of magical circuitry.

Vita twisted her neck to shout back to her mistress, "Hayate!"

"On it!"

Flapping out her wings and heading high above, Hayate wielded her Tome and Schwertkreuz in either hand. Pages flipped on their own to the right text of spell, while a white Belka sigil formed behind her.

"Resound, Horn of Judgment...!"

"Tch... I'm not down yet...!" Friagne muttered, before flinging himself at Hayate's forming spell, alongside a swarm of others that cannonballed wholly formed out of the ground and sky. Giant arms dragged themselves out of the cards, ready to simply smash the Wolkenritter under its immense weight.

Zafira jumped ahead, growling, "Let me remind you, I am the Guardian Beast, Zafira... I won't let you anywhere near my mistress! Iron Yokes!"

More shafts of light protectively encased the area around the knights, before shooting outward, accurately destroying each suited body that neared them. Even the giant arms were skewered into the ground, unable to move.

Before Friagne could enact a new strategy, the glows inhabiting the circles at three corners of Hayate's sigil gained their maximum strength, eliciting a yell from her as she pointed her staff down at the gaping fissure beneath her.

"Ragnarok! BREAK!"

The furious tri-beam burst forth, rushing into the void with all strength. In moments, the light filled the crevice, flames exploding outward. In the smoking remains, much of the darkness had been dispelled, leaving a network of glowing lines that ran about in the deep.

Friagne was incensed, perhaps even slightly worried, but hid it all, spitting, "Tch! Breaking through my Reality Marble. A foolish notion... I can already tell none of you have the skills to play like that! Betting everything on something like that... pitiful! Regular Sharp!"

A wave of cards flung themselves at the knights, who threw up shields. Rather than all out bounce off, many instead, and once more, collided dead on against the shields, letting Friagne snap his fingers one more time.

"Guard Flush!"

combined, many cards slid through gracefully through the shields. Dodged as they could, Hayate and the others still dropped away, gashes lining their faces and limbs, gasping in pain.

The remaining Friagnes laughed at the sight of Hayate rolling onto her stomach at the edge, grunting with effort as she lifted herself up with her arms.

"This is it! Really! Such bad players. You haven't even fazed me... did you think you could just break through Royal Gambit and just fight me face to face? This is the casino! We keep you here till you drain you dry of every wealth, body and soul! It's time to pay up!"

"Tch... you're so full of yourself." Hayate muttered back.

"You're hardly in the position to say that, you know, Mistress of Pain."

Hayate turned a glare up to the Espada, "You think...? And someone like you... you're just concerned about proving your strength. Well you forgot something, Friagne. Or rather, someone!"

"Wha-!?"

"Unison Out!"

Hayate's smirk lost the electric blue eyes and glowing blond hair, while Reinforce Zwei jumped out of her mistress' body and into the depths of the circuitry of the Reality Marble.

Friagne choked, "Her!? You going to-!?"

"She's a Unison Device... I don't know if this is going to work... but regardless, this isn't game over! We're just anteing up!"

Before Friagne could reply, their floating numbers jerked as if something had intruded into them. They gasped, garbled, and choked, as they lost control of their bluffing bodies.

"H-Haya...! How... could you...!?"

Unable to fly, much less anything else, the bodies crashed into the ground, spilling apart into cards. Far ahead of Hayate, a mound grew, while a voice gasped within. Above, Reinforce's voice echoed across the realm of the warped Royal Gambit.

"Meister! I don't have full control, but this is the best I can do! The real Friagne is in that mound over there! Get him out before I lose control of this place!"

"Right! Vita! Come with me!"

The red firebrand was cheering viciously, "Right! Let me at him!"

Dashing forward, the two of them leapt off their feet to fly in low towards the shivering pathetic mess ahead. Out from the pile, an emancipated arm reached out pointing.

"Just die...!"

Crude, makeshift spears of paper punctured through the ground, aiming towards the two knights. Vita roared, swinging Eisen about to easily knock away the weak counterattack, while Hayate dove forward, her fist crashing through the pile of printed numbers, until her hand grasped something solid, and pulled with all her might to pry out the resistance.

Something feeble, bald, and naked emerged, pipes infused into his body at points, as if he had become part of a machine.

The creature mumbled to itself from out of a mouth piece that was connected to a hose, while staring at Hayate with bright green eyes,"No... no, no, no...! This isn't fair...! This isn't fair! I've waited so long for a good battle...! Gil Graham... offered so much... but you... equaled me...!? Bested me...!? Defeated me...!? And now... I lose now!? No... no, no, no...! I want to fight more...! I want to drag out this perfect match up for eternity...! I have found an equal... and I want to fight more...! Fight more!"

Hayate grunted as she tried to keep whatever she was holding in her hand out in the open air, while she snapped open the Tome of the Night Sky. Glaring, she spoke.

"You don't deserve to speak about my Uncle that way! If you want to fight forever so badly... enjoy the dream! Sleep forever!"

"U-Uncle...!? You...!"

Friagne Dientedeleon, the real body, a naked shell of a being that gibbered for battle, glowed gold, before breaking up into light that drawn into the pages of the Tome of the Night Sky.

The cover snapped shut with a final decisive **"ABSORPTION."**

Hayate stepped back, grunting, "Finished."

The Wolkenritter's vision was filled with cards as Royal Gambit exploded.

* * *

All of them found themselves back in the endless halls of Catedral, where they stood, blinking confusedly for a few seconds, wondering if they were really back where they should be.

Then Reinforce Zwei choked and pointed in a direction, "S-Signum! She's...!"

Turning, the various members gave of gasps and chokes of horrified shock to find Signum sprawled across the ground, unmoving, a bleeding mess probably in far worse shape than the rest of them. Rushing up, they tried to shake her awake, while Shamal immediately began calling for her Devices to seal the Flame Knight's wounds.

"Signum! Signum! Wake up!" Hayate pleaded. She was met with a groan.

"...Mistress...?" One eye creaked open.

"You're alive!"

"Enough... I defeated... Kuma. But I fear, with these injuries."

"Don't worry! You come first! Shamal?"

"It's serious, but it's not impossible to treat like this... but it'll take time.." The green knight responded.

Zafira snorted, "We've used up the majority of our strength fighting them, too... at this rate, their job at defending was a success."

"Damn it!" Vita swore, trying to ignore her own injuries, "We beat them...! We can't just give up now! Nanoha... Nanoha needs us!"

"I know." Hayate sighed, "But... we can't do anything in our condition. We'll just have to trust she can make it on her own in the mean time."

"Time isn't on our side... mistress..." Signum managed to add, "...Outrage..."

"...We have to trust Nanoha."

* * *

In the one unsealed hall that led to the central chamber of Catedral, complete with the Lost Logia within, Phoenix Entierro worriedly looked up at the ceiling past the shadow of her hood, as rumbles of battle echoed, and specks of dust dropped from above.

"I hope those guys are alright... we can't lose now..."

"Phoenix."

The girl turned to find Arnage walking towards her from the far end of the hall.

"A-Arnage? What are you doing here? The fighting, you should be-!"

"Phoenix... I'll take over guarding... you should kill Fate. Now. Before it's too late."

"WHAT!?"

The man, placid behind his white sunglasses, took a deep breath from his inhaler before repeating. "Fate Testarossa Harlaoun. She deserves to die by your hand. Do it, before you lose the opportunity."

The girl's mouth tried to move, struck with total disbelief, "W-What... I don't understand... why? I need her alive! You said you'd get information out of her! About our connection-"

"I got it all. She told me everything."

"So!?"

Arnage sighed, "Phoenix... you were worried that you were a clone? Made only to be experimented on?"

"Y-Yes?"

"No... No. It's the other way around. Phoenix, Fate's the copy."

It was if all the sound left the world at that unveiling.

"...What?"

"Fate said she was cloned off someone called Alicia Testarossa, who was deceased when she was created. Her creator was Precia Testarossa, Alicia's mother. Who's now also dead... and her Linker Core... your Device..."

"No... no... I don't understand! How... But... she's older...!" Phoenix was shaking, hysterical.

Arnage grabbed her by the shoulders, trying to get through to her, "She got older... and you just died. Phoenix, don't you get it? You had a mother once that loved you! You had a life! And your mother loved you so much, she couldn't bear with the idea that you were dead, so she created that clone to feel better... but now...!"

"Now...!?"

"Isn't it a shame, Phoenix! You were experimented on! Used! Abandoned! And that clone... that fake... the copy... she's the one living out her life, growing up, smiling, with a new mother, new friends... completely taking over what should have been your life-"

"NO! NO! Stop talking...!"

Arnage leaned down to speak next to her ear, "Phoenix... the very dignity of your being has been stolen by Fate Testarossa Harlaoun... this is a crime... kill her... kill her and regain your right to exist. For the one thing you should at least have. Yourself."

"B-but... Aaroniero-sama..."

"I'll guard the door here... this is something you have to do by yourself, Phoenix... Alicia..."

Phoenix was silent for a second within the mask of her shadows, before snarling, tears flying off her cheeks.

"Arnage... thank you!"

"She's still in the same room. But you have to go fast, unless the fighting above causes something to malfunction."

"Right..."

The girl in white stalked forward, tearing the rod off her back, growling with hatred, "Put down her funeral dirge, Ataúd!"

"**ACTIVADO, AMO."**

Taking off, Phoenix rushed down the halls of empty Catedral.

Arnage looked on, before taking a breath of his inhaler, and walking on.

* * *

Somewhere, in the darkness by herself, Fate Testarossa Harlaoun moaned.

Then the chains inexplicably came loose. The blond crashed to the floor, gasping. For several minutes, she caught her breath, while massaging her sore arms, and the welts that lined points of her torn clothing.

Eventually, managing to raise herself up with her hands, she reached to her side, where she pulled free a familiar triangular yellow gem. Fate looked up, with darkened eyes.

"Arnage..."

He was up to something. Something possibly worse than anyone could imagine. She was the only one who knew. She would put an end to this madness.

"Bardiche..."

**"HERE, SIR."**

"I don't think we have much time. Are you ready?"

**"ALWAYS, SIR."**

"Then, Set Up!"

And lightning amber filled the room.

* * *

Suddenly, Aaroniero's perfectly sealed off chamber suddenly was penetrated in a direction he had failed to foresee.

The ceiling simply burst inward, a pink beam pounding out a fairly neat circle. Chunks of stone clanked against the top of Outrage, though none worse for wear. Aaroniero Arleri turned around passively, looking up with a posture that seemed to give off mere unamusement.

Above, the White Devil descended, her staff since exploded out from its usual soothing curves into a giant golden headpiece, filled with sharp pieces and antenna of the Excelion mode.

The two regarded each other for many imperceptible minutes.

"Aaroniero Arleri..."

"...Takamachi Nanoha."

* * *

The veil of ignorance and misunderstanding, a fog of distrust and deceit. Can we reach across the void to each other?

**Duel Eleven: Heaven and Hell**

Fate. Phoenix. Pale imitations of what cannot be undone. Dust to dust, ashes to ashes.

**LET'S ROCK!**

* * *

Intended translations

brazo del viento: Wind Arm

A/N: Long chapter is Long. 14380 (Dies). I hope you put up with this, and with me... I don't ever break up my chapters.


	11. Heaven and Hell

Takamachi Nanoha looked down past her feet, and found herself shocked and awed by the vast magical machinery, despite herself.

"This is...!?"

Standing at the very summit of the rotating sphere and orbiting screens, Aaroniero Arleri turned and looked up at the mage with his tall white mask.

"Indeed. Forged by man to kill gods and devils. Our stairway to Outer Heaven."

"This... this is Outrage?" Nanoha whispered. For some reason, she was trying to fight back a shiver.

Aaroniero paced leisurely across the top of the weapon, his Device sealed as a rosary slowly sliding from his sleeve into his long fingers.

"We see you have an eye for strength... not surprising. You seem to be able to appreciate a powerful object, when one is sighted. Is it enthralling? Exciting? We are in the presence of something that can change the face of the universe in a matter of minutes. No years of effort needed. No decisive wars needed. No pleas to the masses needed. Just a thought."

Nanoha shook her head, vehemently declining, "This isn't right! Aaroniero! Why do you have to start a war? What is it that you don't have? Why won't you talk to us?"

The Espada audibly scoffed at the words, "Still on that, Bureau dog...? No, Takamachi Nanoha. Still on that? Still talking with a weapon in hand, to an enemy that will not listen?"

"We don't have to be enemies... it doesn't have to be this way!"

"It is the only way. We have chosen Our path with no hesitation, with steadfast belief, that We are about to do a great and noble thing, in changing the universe. You, too, believe you are about to do a great and noble thing, in protecting it. We are both heroes, and one of us is about to become a martyr."

Nanoha frowned, "Do you really believe that? That we're so blinded by our beliefs...?"

"The greatest of warrior are those who are steadfast in their loyalties and beliefs, and you, Nanoha, are a great fighter. Would you lay down your weapon for Us, and abandon your comrades?"

"No, but that doesn't mean-"

"That is all there is, and so would We. No, Takamachi Nanoha, fighting is the only thing we are good at. So let us at least fight for what we believe in."

Nanoha gritted her teeth, unable to think of what next to say. Aaroniero continued on.

"And... 'starting a war' would be an understatement for the Espada's intention with this weapon. Let Us explain with demonstration. The translation of the operating software is enough for at least this."

Aaroniero turned his attention to the machinery at his feet.

"Outrage. Provisional emergency access. Voice confirmation, P-3-8-L-T-X-23."

Various floating screens and glowing circuit lines shuddered and flickered with renewed activity.

**"****القيادة تتلقى الاستفسارات****."**

"Visualize targeting planes. Full cavity."

**"****توسيع نطاق رؤية الكون****." **

From the rotating central sphere of the super weapon, light exploded, rushing outwards, flooding the entire room with such encroaching brightness that Nanoha was forced to shield her eyes with one raised arm.

The mage grunted in frustration, unable to actually bring herself to swear.

_Is he attacking? I can't see! I won't be able to predict his movements till too late-_

The shining abruptly stopped. Nanoha blinked away the dark spots in her eyes as fast as she could, Raising Heart pointed ahead. When her vision cleared enough, all she could do was gasp and be amazed again, even when she didn't want to.

All about her, the darkness of space loomed. Floating in near perfect recreation, small stars and galaxies floated about her, model planets orbited, comets slid across the black. Tentatively reaching for one planetoid, Nanoha found her hand passing through, confirming it was indeed nothing more than an impossibly (or perhaps, only Al Hazredianly) complex hologram, as was the entire simulated universe around her.

Alongside Nanoha in silent witness to all existence passing them by, was still Aaroniero standing atop the massive Outrage.

"Outrage, calculate and visualize long distance attack. Target is major landmass, identification, Midchilda."

Nanoha choked, "W-wait-!"

**"****حساب السلطة ونسبة المسافة****. ****تصور****." **

The universe flew into a blur around the two. Before long, one of two blue planets familiar to Nanoha, with its two moons, slowly enlarged to the size of a small basketball at one side of the room, the universe frozen in place around Midchilda and Outrage. Bright green targeting reticles encircled the model planet, and digital lines traced themselves across the fictional universe, joining Outrage with the headquarters planet of the TSAB, numbers and read outs floating about, determining distances, charging times, traversing times...

"Feast and be Hungry, Glotonería."

"**VIVO, REY."**

Nanoha's head snapped back to Aaroniero Arleri, and the spear that materialized in his hand.

"This is not a bluff. We are not misguided. Outer Heaven is not just a war. It is a way of living, in which the death of millions on a whim is only a footnote, in the lesson of what is truly valuable in life. Takamachi Nanoha, where in your heart could someone of your era possibly find the will to even attempt trying to understand me?"

For time, there were no words able to be said.

Then, "Raising Heart. Load Cartridge."

Aaroniero seemed smug at the sound of compressed magic exploding into the rest of Nanoha's Device.

"The survivor of this battle will be the one who determines the fate of this universe. If We win, Outrage will fire. If you win..."

"This isn't about winning," Nanoha retorted aiming her staff with both hands, "I won't let you hurt anybody with this weapon... but I still want to listen to you... but if I have to reach you through Raising Heart, then so be it!"

Aaroniero drew his weapon close, humming, "What an idealistic person..."

War raged in the heavens around Outrage.

* * *

**Duel Eleven: Heaven and Hell**

* * *

Echoes of battles shook the halls of Catedral. Large rivulets of dust drifted from the ceiling to the ground around Fate, as she continued to fly as fast as she could through the empty channels that twined their way through about the Espada fortress.

_Testarossa Harlaoun, the terribly fun show will begin soon, so don't try to escape before it's your cue. You have a very important role to play in the upcoming performance... so don't disappoint. I'll leave a friend of yours with you, so when the time is right..._

Fate's eyes narrowed darkly as she recalled words sneered only hours ago. The man was up to something terrible, and nobody but her was sure of that. Now, she had to do something about it.

Without a doubt, Fate knew Nanoha would be somewhere here. She trusted wholeheartedly that her friend would be at the very front of this assault in order to find her. Thus, it was important to link up with her again, in order to get this information out, before anything else happened.

A voice faintly whispered past her ear as she flew, "Fate..."

Steel feet slid to a halt in the air, head accentuated with whipping blond locks, looking around her in cautious surprise.

"Alicia...!?"

"Fate... it was you..."

"Alicia! We don't have time for this! Arnage is playing with all of us, he's planning to do-"

"SHUT UP!"

"**ROCIADA DEL RELÁMPAGO."**

White and lightning burst through the floor only feet beneath Fate, and both parties went crashing into the top of the corridor. For the TSAB Enforcer, all that was keeping her face, half wincing from the bright electricity, from being pulverized was both her hands pushed back, with Bardiche's gunmetal shaft and a quickly induced magic aura on it resisting the giant edges ofAtaúd, while Phoenix Entierro pushed upward from below, snarling mouth under hood.

"Shut up!" The Espada reiterated, "Arnage told me everything I needed to hear! About what you are! About who I am! And what you STOLE FROM ME!"

"Wait, what-!?"

Phoenix didn't wait. With her blade, she swung to one side, sending Fate who was on top, sliding off the ceiling, and through the air, where she clumsily twirled into control, turning to face her mirrored other.

"Ataúd! Start the countdown!"

The mechanical slab started cultivating magic from the Linker Core of both girl's mother that was stored within, one Gear gem raising a dull glow.

**"CONQUISTA DEL RELOJ."**

Phoenix continued to rave, snarling, "Kill her! Blast her! Fry her!"

"**LANCERO DEL FOTÓN."**

Fate swore under her breath as she saw the magic battery grow opposite her direction, and called back quickly.

"Bardiche!"

"_YES SIR. PLASMA LANCER."_

Sparking tongues of bright yellow illuminated the hall, as two voices exactly the same, shouted.

"FIRE!"

The projectiles tracked and intervened with each other in a blink of an eye, blasts shaking Catedral hallways and blinding eyes. Fate was already making use of the flash for her usual trick, Sonic Move sending her around to Phoenix's back to strike from behind. Bardiche's solid body snapped open to release the Haken Saber. White cape swirling about her, Fate twisted around to slash-

"You think you're the only who knows that trick?" Came the growl behind, while Fate was left staring startled at the open air where Phoenix should have been. Then the sound of metal ringing through the air at ear level.

Fate ducked and twisted about, letting Ataúd sail over her head as she swung around to strike back at Phoenix. The Espada, however, had used her small frame in conjunction with her hard stroke to send herself rolling after her own strike, feet swinging out. One heel smashed into the side of Fate's head as she turned around, sending her back with enough force to bounce her off one wall with a cry of pain.

"Alicia..." Fate winced as she caught herself, "...What... what did that man tell you?"

"He told me **everything**. Everything I need to know about you. Everything I'll ever need to know!"

"Everything...?"

Phoenix snarled from underneath her hood, "How you're the copy and I'm the original! Yet you... stole everything!"

"Alicia, please, listen to me! We don't have time for this-"

Phoenix's grip on the handle of her Device tightened, "No, we don't! So why don't you just go ahead and disappear, you DOLL!"

Familiar words that struck Fate at the very core of her being.

_It's happening again. It's happening again. I'm losing my family._

Fate tried one more time, quietly, calmly, firmly, voice tinged with regret.

"Alicia, don't do this. I don't want to fight you. Arnage is up to something, you have to take me to the Outrage!"

"So that you can what? Destroy it? You stole my entire life already! You want to come and take the meaning out of the life I've built up here with Aaroniero-sama, too!?"

"It's not like that! Alicia! This isn't the time! You have to trust me!"

Phoenix snorted, "Trust you... you're a lying clone, a TSAB mage, the **enemy.** You are the last person I should ever TRUST!"

At that, Fate grunted and dodged back in a flash, as Phoenix charged and hacked at her previous location. Phoenix turned her shadowed head, teeth bared.

"You are the source of all my troubles! I will kill you!"

"...Bardiche. Load Cartridge."

* * *

Aaroniero Arleri twisted around in the stars, dodging several repeated blasts of Divine Buster. Nanoha, in the distance, held Raising Heart Excelion's business end ahead of her firmly, lost in concentration as she continued to adjust the aim and fire at will.

Rolling under another wave of pink blasting magic, a rod of white energy coalesced into Aaroniero's hand.

"Glotonería."

"**LANZA DEL FANTASMA: RESUCITADO."**

With a strong underhanded thrust, the glowing beam left the Ghost, searing towards Nanoha as it grew into a larger shaft of destructive energy. Nanoha merely narrowed her eyes slightly and pointed her Device at the oncoming attack, firing directly back. The two sieges attacks connected head on, splitting the model universe around them in a blazing flash and globular explosions of flame and smoke.

Backing away from the smoke screen, Nanoha glanced about her, trying to pick up how Aaroniero would come out from behind the cover that was blocking either of them off from the other.

Her sixth sense tickled her left ear. She twisted her head just in time to see Aaroniero's pitch white body stabbing through the air in that direction at high speed, his spear turned trident leading the strike.

_When did he-!?_

With no more time to think, two bodies met in a very meaty collision, the Espada continuing onward, until the both of them slammed into the side of Outrage. Nanoha's head arched back, scrunched face and clenched teeth hissing pain. Aaroniero, one hand still applying pressure to his strike, used his other to grab Nanoha's left wrist, slamming her grip on Raising Heart against the surface of Outrage.

Aaroniero's mask tilted slightly in respectful bemusement.

"Your resilience is astounding."

Nanoha winced and opened one eye. At her stomach, all that was keeping Glotonería from impaling her was the palm of her other hand, which was producing a minuscule round shield of Midchildan design.

"You still haven't told me what's driving you to use Outrage, Aaroniero." Nanoha only replied.

"You should be more concerned about your current situation. You should know by now that an Engine Device can break through a shield of that make without even trying."

The mage grunted as she tried to push back the tip of the weapon, with Aaroniero resisting the entire time, both their arms shaking slightly from the effort.

"Are you avoiding the question, Aaroniero?" Nanoha quipped back. The Espada couldn't find the extra energy to laugh at the question, even if he wanted to.

"You are indeed... a curious individual, even now. Then, Nanoha, don't you feel there is something wrong with this universe?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"The perversity of way this universe works. Those standing in opulence over many, their selfish greed and pride are what create people like us, those who exist comfortably with their convenient prejudices, supported by convenient living, make us fester, unknown, in the dark corners of this universe. How much longer can people like you, living in the light, ignore those of us who have been cast into the shadows?"

The spear pushed back towards Nanoha, while she choked, "And killing millions of people is going to change this!?"

"In the eternal Outer Heaven, there is no light, or dark. Just the uniform roiling of chaos. The universe must descend into chaos for there to be purity."

"Tch! I won't accept this!"

Aaroniero's smooth facade harrumphed, before pulling back his spear, arm swinging back.

"Gear Two."

From out the back of side mounted prongs of the trident, extensions slid out, sparking with new power, **"ASCENSIÓN."**

Glotonería, suffused with the strength of a second Gear, was thrust back forward toward Nanoha, intent on tearing her through.

Nanoha grabbed the blade.

For some reason, Aaroniero didn't know why, but he was still visibly surprised by the girl's actions. Raw maagic that had wrapped itself around Nanoha's hand to shield her from the sharp edges. It would have been no effort to easily drain that magic away with an Engine Device, but as Aaroniero did, it seemed the thick layer never ran out.

_How much magic does this woman have!?No matter how much magic I take from here, she seems to have so much more!_

Nanoha's gaze was firm as she pushed the trident away from her.

"Aaroniero, every time we fought, you kept assuming all we could be is enemies. But now I understand you... this is more than just simply stopping you."

"Oh?" Aaroniero managed to hum as if he was still self assured.

"You may be right, Aaroniero. Light and dark... there are lot of bad things in this world, and a lot of misunderstanding, but if you won't try to let other people understand this sadness, then you have no right to pass judgment on the universe either!"

"Such idealistic words, but words do not move people. The very structure of this universe has been made to despise excess sediment like us. The universe does not even care about things like empathizing with us. Room and understanding can only be made, by tearing it out with your own hands!"

Aaroniero's knees leapt up, before both feet rammed themselves into Nanoha's stomach, crushing her into the side of Outrage again, the mage yelping, while the Espada flipped away, his Device growling.

"**LOBO HAMBRIENTO: ASCENDIDO.**"

The elongated trident of Glotonería snapped out a glowing whip of white magic that twisted and snaked into Nanoha, the tip unleashing a detonation that wreathed the entire side of the structure with flame.

The aged and hardened structure of Outrage was hardly affected by the heat and burns, but nonetheless, the flames continues to roar on their own, sticking to the side of the structure.

"I don't believe that..."

A white and blue sleeve swiped through the blaze, the device in hand dispelling the fire into wisps of smoke. Nanoha floated, determined, and hardly affected by the attack.

"...Aaroniero, I promise, after I beat you, I'll show you that you don't need your war or chaos to get people to understand you and your people! Your light and dark, I'll show you they can reach each other!"

The Espada flipped about his Device in one hand, "Hmph. You should speak less, Takamachi Nanoha. Otherwise it will hurt more when We shatter those glass dreams of yours."

* * *

The artifacts chamber's design could be considered slightly haphazard. From the double doors that had been blown to pieces at their violent arrival, onwards, was a large hall lit only by the lamps of rows and rows of capsules containing sealed Lost Logia of all shapes and sizes, crystalline and solid. This was the only sense of order, as every available space beside was stuffed away with stored unused ancient weapons of war. Large robots or other mechanized junk that sat unused and

"You can't hide from me forever, Fate! Or is it you just can't stand the presence of me! That's all you'll ever be... just a cheap shadow!"

From somewhere in the dark, Fate watched quietly, cautiously, and did not respond. Bardiche at her side, was closed and silent at his master's wishes as well.

"Do you think you can hide!?" Phoenix continued to shout to the dull lit room as she paced through the rows of sealed containers, "You can't! I have you cornered! I have you figured out! There's nothing I need from you anymore, except to just die!"

"...Sonic Form."

Phoenix twisted toward one shadow, teeth bared. "There!"

"**LANCERO DEL FOTÓN: PERFECCIONADO!"**

Swinging Ataúd at the massed darkness, several dozen bolts of lighting detonated all over ancient archived steel, which survived only due to it's Al Hazredian construction.

Within the backlashing wind, Phoenix heard behind her, gently:

"Have I wronged you that badly?"

The smaller girl choked and swung around, her large blade crashing into Fate's scythe, the mage's body having shucked the cloak for a tighter fit body suit.

"You don't even know the half of it!" Phoenix spat back, the two of them pacing and struggling against each other, magic skittering off their locked edges

"Why is everything my fault? How have I stolen everything?"

Fate saw she said the wrong thing, as from under the hood, red eyes widened with from stupefied hatred. Reaching forward with one arm, Phoenix grabbed Bardiche and pushed it away, while her free hand reared back Ataúd over her head and sent it crashing down into the ground where Fate should have been.

Phoenix then realized that Fate was already several feet back. The Espada was surprised and somewhat embarrassed, which upset her only more, as she shouted across the room.

"Don't pretend you don't know by now! I know I'm Alicia Testarossa! Do you know how many years I've lived like this?"

"Alicia..."

The hooded head turned to the side, muttering, "Aaroniero doesn't hide anything from me... I know my body is... I've fought for years, with this kind of body, this kind of life... for the longest time I would have accepted that maybe this was how thing's was supposed to be. A creature created only to be experimented on, and then abandoned... but now..."

Two bodies suddenly disappeared, and then blinked in and out of existence, their blades flashing. Phoenix's voice growled through the air.

"...Now I'm told I have a life and existence that should belong to me...! That somewhere, I could have a family, friends, happiness, BUT YOU HAVE IT INSTEAD!? Why are you allowed to have it!? Why were you even given it!? What did you do that allows you to live happily out in the open!? That should be me! Alive! What did you do to leave me here!?"

Blades caught each other above their owner's heads, Fate the clone and Alicia the phoenix glaring at each other while sparks fell around them.

"Alicia! I never wanted it to be like this-!"

"Then die! Die so I can exist as a person, not some other of **you, **that no one knows about!"

"Is this the only way to you!? Do we have to replace each other!?"

"Only one of us was intended to exist, so there can be only ONE!"

"I don't believe that-!"

The blades broke apart, both of them sliding back through mid air.

"I don't believe that..." Fate panted to herself, while Phoenix wordlessly held herself in another even stance, "Alicia, I have so many things to tell you, but someone's put a wall over your heart."

"**SMASHER DEL TRUENO: PERFECCIONADO!"**

Swooping upward, Testarossa Harlaoun let the torrent of amber lightning and magic rush underneath her feet. She could almost hear Arnage's mockery inside her head, and she felt her face tighten in indignation at a person not present, though she looked at Phoenix below.

"I won't let that man get away with this. Alicia, there won't only be one at the end of this!"

* * *

And then the spinning trident head, become nearly a glowing drill and belonging to Aaroniero Arleri's Engine Device in Third Gear, burst out from the inside of a holographic nova.

Nanoha gasped, and tried to reorient her flight path that had brought her beside the hologram, before Aaroniero speared her head through. Swinging her feet out in front of her, Nanoha manage to back away and stutter long enough, so that rather than fly head on into her own death, she had her free arm thrown out in time to let the spear skitter off a hastily thrown shield, while her left hand swung up Raising Heart Excelion and pointed it at the sun.

"Shoot!"

"_DIVINE BUSTER."_

Point blank, the blast devoured the sun in a single go. But even in that short space of time before Nanoha shot, Aaroniero had already flung himself high into the starry virtual universe, Glotonería and his own body twisting about in a display of aerial acrobatics. Dropping rapidly from his ascended position, the Espada dove down to slash at Nanoha, who dashed back further to avoid the attack. Following up immediately, Aaroniero pointed in Nanoha's direction, firing a rush of white blades at the mage, who took off in a blur, echoes of "Flash Move" left behind.

"Where do you think you are going...?" Aaroniero muttered, before the speed given to him by Engrajei magic in its highest normal gear sent him careening after Nanoha's escape.

The two flickered around in the stars, trading scattered shots here and there, while trying to out maneuver the other.

Unable to entirely escape from Aaroniero's harassment, Nanoha twisted her aim backwards.

"_ACCEL SHOOTER."_

In the face of a good dozen glowing warheads, Aaroniero grunted and quickly peeled away. Under Nanoha's control, the shots continued to arc and chase after the Espada, who twisted and winded around each magic bullet that swung at him. Cutting through several rounds, Aaroniero pointed back and fired.

"**MIRADA CALIENTE: PERFECCIONADO."**

Nanoha, in turn, flung herself away from the "cutting laser" that was practically feet thick in width, while Aaroniero swung around his aim, chasing the laser after the white mage, beam ripping explosions in the "distance" of the galaxy that was actually just the masked walls of Catedral being traced by Aaroniero's attack.

Diving, Nanoha hid behind Outrage. Aaroniero, unwilling to continue firing when his masterpiece was interceding, was forced to disengage his attack. Nanoha, however, from between the gap of the rotating sphere and the large arch ringing it, returned fire, Busters filling up the air between the two. Blurring between several, the Espada dove in a mad rush towards the gap that Nanoha entrenched herself between. To no avail on Nanoha's part, even with her firing, Aaronerio still closed in to the point he squeezed through the gap at full speed, feet first. The blow to Nanoha's body was enough to send her yelping and tumbling backwards.

Aaroniero stood, illuminated by the glowing veins across Outrage's sphere "This is the second time Our feet has graced you. Your vow seems to be not very effective in raising your fighting spirit, Takamachi Nanoha."

The female magus maintained a fairly unamused look in return, not giving a verbal answer.

"It appears that in the end, you have run out of tricks, and We have the superiority. Attack. Speed. Breakthrough. You cannot even defend yourself properly."

"I'm not finished yet, Aaroniero." Nanoha firmly replied.

_"ACCEL CHARGE SYSTEM."_

Aaroniero watched magic coalesce at the end of Raising Heart Excelion in the form of a solid spear tip.

"Relying on a flimsy close-quarters spell? How desperate you are, relying on techniques you have no true expertise in. Have you really run out of spells to use against Us?

"Even if I am out of tricks, that doesn't mean I've given up." Nanoha retorted, "There are more things to magic than just the number of spells you carry, or tactics!"

"We suppose these other things are ridiculous vague elements such as strength of will, or perhaps for you, power to love? Pathetic. How much do you have in you? How much of it will We be able to beat out, before We kill you?"

Nanoha humorlessly let glowing wings spread out along the sides of Excelion, indicating her beginning her renewed assault. Driving forward, Nanoha charged at Aaroniero repeatedly, trying to connect the spear with him, while the Espada easily darted back and aside from each attack. As he watch Nanoha's continued flying by and make wide, predictable turns in some lame last-ditch attempt to hit him, Aaroniero's irritation grew.

"Hmph. This is your limit, I suppose?" The Espada muttered, ducking his tall head under another flying stab at his body, "And you believed that the likes of you could even stop Outer Heaven? Perhaps I judged you too easily on your sheer strength, but when one is past all that... you are simply a woman with a firearm."

Nanoha charged again, unmoved by Aaroniero's words. Thus, the ghost merely drew back his whirling Device, and brought it down in a strong, single handed stroke downwards, a bit to Nanoha's side.

Glotonería bit into the wings of Excelion, and the Accel Fins beside Nanoha's ankle, shattering and consuming magic completely, in an instant.

Nanoha gasped at the sensation of her normally perfect and stable flight suddenly pitching wildly around, including forward into Aaroniero's grip. Strong arms and long fingers grabbed her by the arm and twisted her around, her body crushed against the Espada, while her grip on Raising Heart painfully behind her back and held in place by Aaroniero's hand.

The two intertwined, with the ghost in control, Aaroniero inverted himself entirely, and dove at full speed towards the top of Outrage. Gasping, Nanoha continued to try and break free. Wind whipped at their faces. Nanoha continued to struggle, and Aaroniero Arleri's face was silent and confident above all.

The two smashed into the steel surface with loud crunches that echoed across the universe.

Aaroniero somersaulted back onto his feet, observing the mess ahead of him. Nanoha lay sprawled across the steel, groaning and half-conscious.

"Engrajei is an excellent style for Us... even without shields, this artificial body of mine already is more durable than any normal being's." Aaroniero quipped, gripping one of his wrists for show of strength.

Another baleful grunt of pain. The Espada paced forward, twisting the grip of his spear to hold it upside down.

"This is the end, Takamachi Nanoha... ultimately, Outer Heaven is the future!"

Nanoha wheezed, sitting up with some effort, while glaring up at Glotonería pointed at her face, and past it to Aaroniero's stolid features, the unmoving mask.

"Goodbye, mage."

"...Looks like you paid too much attention to me..."

That caught the Espada, his head tilting upward in confusion.

"What?"

Raising Heart answered for its master, "_SNIPE SHOT."_

Out of the corner of Aaroniero's vision, one of Nanoha's magic spheres came diving in. Aaroniero choked.

_When did she fire those!? Back then? After all that commotion, she still was able to control a shot that missed!? She made Us 'play' with her so much that We-!_

At the speed the Accel Shot was coming in, Aaroniero knew he was a bit too tall to simply jump out of the way from. Instead, Aaroniero opted to swing his spear with full force, bringing the whirling edges to crush the glowing sphere, leaving shards of it to dissipate into the air.

The second one right behind the destroyed first, went straight into Aaroniero's chest, wide open as he was in midswing.

Without any form of Barrier Jacket or Knight Armor, even the simplest and nonlethal of Nanoha's magic felt like a steel beam ramming into his chest a dozens of miles per hour. Even artificial bodies felt the concentrated blow of that, leaving him struggling for breath as he stumbled and finally lurched forward, barely able to prop himself up with his spear.

"Even... t-two!?" Came the disbelieving gasp. Then the Espada felt something poke him from behind, and the sound of emptied shells being spat out a slide into open air.

Nanoha, regaining her second wind, held Raising Heart Excelion firmly with both hands, the tip against Aaroniero's back at point blank.

Magic began to be pulled out of the air, drawing towards the glow of Nanoha's Intelligent Device.

"I'm sorry, Aaroniero, but I have to make sure that I've beaten you." Nanoha managed to mutter out, in spite of her own pain. Aaroniero remained stupefied by the sudden turning of the tables, his tall mask swiveling somewhat to look back at her, as the high pitch of magic being sucked in continued to whine through the air.

_"STARLIGHT BREAKER."_

"Shoot."

* * *

Slowly approaching the chamber Outrage was in, from above, floor by floor, was Fate T. Harlaoun, and Phoenix Alicia Testarossa Entierro. Not that either of them were paying attention to that detail.

The ceiling collapsed, leaving the mage and the ghost to crush the next level of ground below their feet, along with increasing piles of shattered stone debris, their weapons hinged on each other. Phoenix gritted her teeth with effort. To her own surprise given her physical condition, found the strain of the lengthy combat beginning to wear at her body and mind. Her fatigue eating at concentration and strength of magic and of might. The Espada also recognized Fate's own

Phoenix snorted to herself.

_We both probably are at the end of our lines. At this rate, we'll be ending this soon... she can't reload forever, either!_

"-And I bet you came to that conclusion as well, huh!?" and pushed Fate away with a swing of her sword, the mage leaving droplets of sweat flying from her hair and brow as she slid back down the hall.

"Even Engrajei magic can't stave of the problems of endurance forever, after all?" Fate hummed to herself.

"Are you making fun of me, still!?" Phoenix spat, before flying forward, low to the ground, while her sword scraped across the ground, leaving scorch marks and sparks of electricity where steel met the ground. Suddenly stretching one heel into the ground, Phoenix brought herself to a slide, her footing making her spin around with Ataúd, which was brimming with electricity.

"**ONDA DE LA CHISPA: PERFECCIONADO!" **

Fate pointed Bardiche forward as it glowed.

"_DEFENSER PLUS."_

Phoenix's blade unleashed an uncontrolled burst of electricity, twitching, jerking tongues fanning out to hit anything it could conduct, the spray filling up the the ceiling to floor, tearing up everything it could. Simultaneously, Fate was encased on all sides in a large bubble of her own yellow magic, which pushed the stray lightning around its perimeter.

The floor broke again, sending them both downward into the next room below, one supported by multiple pillars. Phoenix kept on the move, kicking off a piece of rubble that was falling near her, and went diving at the sphere that swallowed up Fate like a shell. Slamming her sword into the bubble exterior, Phoenix sent the mage and all diving into the ground.

Three Engrajei symbols lined up, the row floating in front of Phoenix as she used the circles to aim at Fate's crash landing.

"**SMASHER DEL TRUENO: PERFECCIONADO!" **

Another concentrated blast from Phoenix smashed into Fate, who had gotten back to her feet as the barrier dissipated, leaving a thunderous roar, smoke and dust in its wake.

Phoenix stared down at the dusty smokescreen between her and Fate.

_That had to have been a direct hit, please!_

"_PLASMA SMASHER."_

Phoenix swore and flipped backwards, narrowly missing the beam that shot upward at her. Landing on the ground, she glared ahead at Fate, who stood beside a scorching crater she should have been inside a few seconds prior.

"There's no point pretending. This is the last blow for both of us!" Phoenix shouted, "Come on! Throw your best, as I will! This will decide who deserves to live!"

Fate, down the other end, was quiet, still gentle, "...Alicia-"

"What!?" Phoenix spat out, before snapping her mouth shut at the slip of her tongue, the way she allowed herself to finally be identified by a name she wanted but still hated.

"Does you really want to end it this way? Why must you fight to earn your existence?"

"Still on about that? I told you! There's no other way left! Kill or be killed! I want to know which one of us truly deserved to live out in that life you have!"

Again, it seemed hard to read Fate's features, her face unmoved, yet her eyes flickering between ideas, and between emotions. Regret. Determination. Sadness.

"There is so much hate..." Fate finally came to a decision, "Alicia, I will let you attack me."

"What kind of crap is that?"

"If this will let you understand how I feel, even the slightest bit... I won't stop it, I won't dodge it. Use your final blow, with all your emotion, and all your hate. When all of that is gone, then maybe..."

"Tch, you make it sound like you'll live through it!" Phoenix sneered back.

"I will. But if I don't-"

"YOU WON'T! You're so stupid! But if you want to just lie down and die, that's just perfect!" Phoenix spat, spinning Ataúd around her head before jamming it into the ground in front of her, cracks splitting outward from where the clockwork sword embedded itself upside down, handle pointing upward.

The room began the glow, amber magic filling the room, a giant Engrajei seal forming underneath Fate's feet. She didn't move. She didn't even flinch.

Phoenix muttered, her fingers twining together into shapes.

"Orbus, Kultes, Desgaia. Lords of silver, lords of ash, show yourself as I guide my hand. Teis, Lazt, Delor..."

The air began the spark, around them, noises filling the air high above them that had been created from the holes between each level, as they continued to fight downward. Wind flung itself around the Espada, her cloak flaring up to reveal her smallish form.

"Orbus, Kultes, Desgaia! Come, Tower of Ruin! Thunder Falling!" Phoenix screamed at Fate.

"**PERFECCIONADO." **Ataúd also hummed beside its master.

And ripping down from the holes above that lead to the heavens in the darkness, a monstrous lightning bolt fell from the sky, directed at Fate's head.

There wasn't even time the blink. It fell, and Phoenix went flying onto her back for a foot or two. The only sound was a dull rumble as the world stopped shaking.

Phoenix panted from her position on the ground. She did not use that ceremonial spell often. Even less so at the full strength Engrajei magic put it at. The effort and the blast drained her. All three of Ataúd's main three Gears had came to a halt, only one dully glowing as the Device tried to build its own magic again.

But she began to uncontrollably, snicker, snigger, chuckle, laugh.

"I did it..! She just stood there and I...!"

Then she felt electricity that didn't belong to her.

_No! That... that's-  
_

"Impossible!"

Phoenix scrambled to one knee, and stared, dumbfounded.

Fate T. Harlaoun stopped holding a scythe. In both hands, high above her head, a massive broadsword stood, holding the thunder that she had called down on her. The grip and hilt was the familiar black and steel of Badiche, but the entire blade was concentrated magic, the shards of lightning jumping across its handle.

"You... you lied!" Phoenix snarled, getting to her feet, "You said you were going to take it-!"

"I didn't dodge, I didn't stop. I accepted your fury, with Bardiche Zamber, and I won't let it stop me. Phoenix, you have nothing left. Now it's time for you to listen to me."

"SHUT UP! I WON'T EVER LOSE TO YOU!" Phoenix was beyond all thinking. Just pure instinct. Grab the sword, charge.

Phoenix stopped after five steps. Her body and her Device immobile as yellow bands trapped her in place. She looked down at herself in shock and fury. And fear.

"No-!"

_"LIGHTNING BIND. THE TARGET AQUISITIONED, SIR."_

Fate gave a test swing to her great sword, "Very well. It's time to finish this, Phoenix."

"No... NO! This is my life! I deserve it!"

Fate took to the air, leaving tongues of bolts behind, as she raised her sword above her head.

"Strike it through, Thunder Blade!" She called to her Device.

"_JET ZAMBER."_ Bardiche replied.

Fate swung, her blazing instrument stretching and cutting everything in its downward path towards Phoenix.

Phoenix could only look up, staring at the electrified edge crashing through more of the ceiling towards her own head. She screamed in rage and fear, her hood falling back, her eyes like blood and her hair the color of the sword.

The Jet Zamber cleaved through the floor a few inches to Alicia's left.

Bardiche's blade returned to its normally large size. The Lightning Binds fell away. Phoenix fell to her knees, her head bowed, her body shivering. Ataúdclattered to the ground as her arms fell limp.

Fate landed, herself panting and sweating from exertion, but walked the several long meters to stand in front of her original.

"This... isn't fair... even at my best, I still can't... if I can't then..." The original muttered.

The clone went down on her own knees, laid Bardiche down, and drew her origin to her with her arms wrapped around her, the smaller girl's head resting against her shoulder.

Alicia spasmed at the touch, defensive, but did not do anything. She couldn't do anything more. No effort was enough any more. There was no need for effort in anything anymore.

"Alicia," Fate whispered, "Do you know who Precia Testarossa was...?"

Phoenix didn't speak.

"I think... her Linker Core is in your Device. Her magic is keeping you alive. Precia was our mother."

"Our..."

"Alicia... Phoenix. I've known for a long time that I'm the clone. Precia created me because she loved you. Loved you so much she couldn't bear the thought that you died. Because Precia loved you so much, she hated me. Looked at me and knew how much I would never be you. She loved you so much she wanted to tear heaven and hell apart to bring you back."

"...Mother..."

"Precia... my mother... died hating me and loving you. But sometimes, I dream, about what it could have... been like..."

Alicia could feel dripping at the back of her head, as she continued to be held.

"Alicia... I don't want you to hate me... I've... wished... for so many years... wondered for so long what it would be like, if you were alive... and you are... you're back! Alicia, I don't want to fight you. I never wanted to prove which of us was more deserving! Why do we have to treat each other like one is inferior!?"

Phoenix muttered angrily, "Because that's how we were born... how this universe is... people like me, and the lucky ones like you...!"

"Someone taught me that it doesn't have to be that way... Alicia... you're my elder sister... can't you think of it like that?" Fate tearfully exhaled, the dream come out into words.

"S-Sisters...!?"

"That's right... a family-"

That was when the floor collapsed, leaving them to fall into a model universe.

* * *

Streams of smoke left Aaroniero as he tried to rise, and managed to fall onto one knee, far down the end of the top of Outrage.

Walking towards him, Takamachi Nanoha let the smoking magazine drop from Raising Heart Excelion, and tapped a new one in. The Device acknowledged the reload. She walked over Glotonería's still form that had left the Ghost's grip half way through the blast.

_It was a good thing I ended this, too... this is my last. If we kept at this, I really would have lost to him, at this rate we were fighting._

She stood before her taller nemesis, the gold head of Raising Heart aimed at Aaroniero, unarmed, worn down, and ultimately out of options.

"Aaroniero Arleri. I'm sorry, but this time, you really are under arrest. You promised you would deactivate Outrage, if I beat you."

"Yes, We did. Pitiful. We were stopped by someone like you." The tall mask muttered to itself darkly as it shuddered to a hunch, managing to stand.

"Aaroniero..."

"We are not afraid... but we are disappointed... someone like you defends this unjust world, that exists only for people standing in the light, so they can cast shadows on others..."

"It doesn't have to be this way." Nanoha argued.

"It always will be. As long as people like you, the brave, the strong, defend what is wrong."

"I don't defend that."

"Then why did you stop me."

"Because you were threatening people precious to me. Aaroniero Arleri. If I can help-"

"And how long would you be able to help, before you turn on Us, or others turn on you? There will always be Us, and them."

Nanoha frowned, "I don't believe that. And I won't stop trying because of what ifs. Perhaps you're right. But maybe I'm right. Aaroneiro, give up. Let me help the Espada."

Aaroniero Arleri didn't move from his slouch. You could almost feel him fume.

Eventually, he spoke, "We cannot agree. But We cannot break vows. We should have killed you, but in the end, We must keep out vows, and... stop. For now."

Nanoha sighed, "That's... good enough for now-Look out-!"

Something thing and purple came out of Aaroniero Arlei's chest, something else white suddenly behind the Espada's back. Fluid and grease came out, staining the pristine white robes.

Aaroniero Arleri shuddered as he started to become a ghost, "Y-you... when did you...!?"

Nanoha stiffened in shock.

And a man in a white coat and sunglasses craned his head out to the side. He rested his head on Aaroniero's right shoulder, and dangled his left arm over the other for a few seconds, before raising it in a slow wave.

"Hey, Takamachi."

* * *

Foul phantoms of the past are closing off the glimmer of hope ahead. The gods themselves now play their Outrage.

**Duel Twelve: Judas at the Opera**

Ladies and Gentlemen, Ladies and Gentlemen, the terribly fun show is about to end...

**LET'S ROCK!**

(A/N: This chapter came out... really slow, partly out of laziness, apologies, but also I had to think hard how to keep the fighting natural, between all the heroic speeching.)


	12. Judas at the Opera

Takamachi Nanoha had the unique military experience of not yet ever having to kill a person. Sure, she could get rough, but she never was forced to kill another person out of necessity.

Magic was powerful, versatile, and above all, nonlethal alternative to the messiness of firearms and explosives. Her opponents always survived, or they were simple war machines.

Thus, to see a man's death so swift, so sudden, so _casual..._

"Hey, Takamachi."

She found herself unable to move, her eyes wide and engrossed with the horror. Aaroniero Arleri's head was bowed forward slightly, as if to look down at his hands wavering around the purple instrument that had appeared through his chest, sending both mixed dark sludge and clear oily fluids free to stain his clothes.

The blade twisted. Aaroniero's garbled voice gasped at tearing flesh, his body straightening out in reaction.

"Stop it! He's dying!" Nanoha frantically pleaded.

"Yeah, that kind of happens when you kill people." The man sarcastically deadpanned. With one hand, he pushed forward harshly at the Ghost's shoulder, sending him forward, while the long blade slid cleanly back into his chest and out the other side, revealing the white coated figure the sharp implement that came out the bottom of his clenched fist.

Aaroniero Arleri stumbled forward, beginning to fall. The man, unsatisfied, raised his blade to stab again.

Pinkish magic blazed across the top of Outrage. The shot streaked and impacted against the knife-like implement. Though the blade didn't break, it was enough to force the mysterious interloper to brace himself, his body sliding back while his boots streaked nosily across the ground, leaving space between him and the victimized.

"You're being rude, Takamachi-" He chided, before Nanoha's Device was trained at his chest.

"Don't move! Don't move an inch!"

He shrugged. The blade in his had suddenly disseminated into a fine mist, letting the fluid that stained it slap to the ground noisily.

"That's fine, there's something I need to do anyways." The man replied, before looking down at the machine they were all situated on, "Outrage, this is an Administrative lock down, under the granted permission of Doctor Fredrick Mercury. Password... كل البنادق الحريق للملكة"

**"****سجل في المقبولة****. ****لإعادة ضبط رئيسية جديدة****." **The sphere stuttered for a second, slowing. Rebooting, the machine's former purple electronic veins slowly beginning to run crimson.

Nanoha's eyes widened.

The man blanched at his own words, "Jesus Christ, I think I lost a few brain cells saying that. That Queen freak..."

"Who are you?" Nanoha asked. She couldn't wrap her head around the fact that man had just spoken...

He smirked, "You can call me whatever you want. Any name works for me. Then again, perhaps it'll be easier on both Testarossa-Harlaoun and you to both know me as Arnage."

"Testa-!? How does Fate-chan know you!?" Nanoha growled, the grip on Raising Heart tightening. The idea that her friend had to contend with a heartless beast like him...

Arnage gave a bark of a laugh, before taking a quick suck on an inhaler that he produced from his coat pocket.

"Testarossa-Harlaoun didn't tell you? Heh! Imagine that. Your best friend still keeps secrets from you. Even important ones like this. But that's alright. You can ask her yourself, now."

"Now...?"

Though the two of them were still standing in a fake universe, there was a sound of shattering stone, and the stone roof of the room they where in collapsed. Large chunks of concrete and dust fell about them, sliding out of the black and stars like drops of water. Two blonds fell as well, slowing their descent as they tried to dodge the rubble. One wore a black stylized jumpsuit. The other was dressed in a white dress and cloak.

Nanoha immediately recognized both of them.

"Fate-chan... Alicia-chan...?"

The two turned to look down at where they were now. Though they could not recognize the room in its current form, they still recognized the occupants.

"Nanoha!?" Fate murmured, surprised.

"A-Aaroniero...?"

A realization. A scream.

"AARONIERO-SAMA! NO!"

* * *

**Duel Twelve: Judas at the Opera**

* * *

"Alicia! Wait!"

Phoenix was already rushing down to the body of her master before Fate could say anything in protest. Clumsily slamming her feet onto Outrage, the Espada scrambled towards her downed master. Falling to her knees in front of Aaroniero Arleri, Alicia-Phoenix held his tall masked head in her shaking arms, choked.

"Oh god... no... Aaroniero... please...!"

"Phoenix... Our charge..." was the quiet whisper that came from behind Aaroniero's white mask.

"Master!" Phoenix coughed and sobbed, unable to say anything more, simply repeating 'Master' over and over pathetically.

Fate dropped down not long after to meet Nanoha, who was watching, "Are you okay?"

The white mage nodded uneasily, "I am, but... he..."

Fate turned to look down the far side of Outrage, to where a certain man was. She narrowed her eyes and practically snarled.

"Arnage..."

Aaroniero whispered again, "Phoenix..."

The girl drew in close to her lord, still teary, "A-Aaroniero-sama...?"

"That... that man... kill him... kill Arnage..."

Alicia seized up at those words, "What...!?"

"Kill him... now... the thief in the night...!"

She looked up at the nonchalant figure in front of her.

Arnage snorted, raising his hands defensively, "What are you looking at me for!? That white chick over there's the one who did Aaroniero in! She's got a fucking spear!"

Alicia twisted her head back to follow the pointed finger at Nanoha, "Wha...? Her...!?"

The white mage's eyes widened in complete disbelief, "What!? W-wait a second!"

Fate interjected before her sister assumed wrong again, "Alicia! Think! Nanoha is a shooting mage! Arnage is just using all of us!"

Phoenix, confused, looked back at Arnage. Apparently bored of his charade, he admitted dully.

"Well, alright. But you know, given how brainless everybody is, I just wanted to see if she was really going to buy outright bullshit just because I told her."

"Y-you killed Aaroniero-sama!? Why!? You said you were on our side!"

The inhaler went into his mouth for a second for a breath, then he answered, "Ah, no. I said I was with the side that wins. Which will never be you guys, while I'm alive."

"B-but you said you were an admirer of Espada! A-and your coat!"

Arnage sighed. The way his head tilted back suggested he rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses.

"Girl, there was this miraculous invention back in the first century along with the conception of the spoken language. It's called lying. Perhaps you should try it sometime? As for the coat..."

The psychic reached for a metal tab on the collar of the mish-mash of cloth and zippers. Fingers pinching the metal, the coat gave a gurgling hum, followed by the pristine white hue slowly darkening until Arnage was wearing a jet black trench coat. He raised his arms in mock exhibition.

"Like it? The technology to create this without the need for magic was lost a long time ago, but I have one. Comes in white, black, red, and blue. Though I've always personally been more fond of black."

The casualness of the gesture found Alicia sucking in her breath, seething at both Arnage's indignance and her own guillibility.

"I never was one for sunglasses either..." Arnage muttered to one side, as he reached for the eye wear on his face. Pulling them off, the magicians present finally caught glimpse of a real face, with murky brown eyes that caught no reflection, but seemed more like staring through portholes into a cesspool. Tossing the white sunglasses away, he reached into his coat to miraculously pull out a black hat, wide brimmed and similar to a fedora, to slide over the top of his head, shadows playing across his face.

"...You people are so easy to trick. I guess using magic kills brain cells or something. I can tell as much by just looking at the Espada. Outer Heaven, what a joke. A bunch of rejects can't deal with reality, so they throw a temper tantrum and want to destroy everything. Fucking retards. Did they really think endless conflict would make everyone stop hating each other? That they people would like them for being soldiers?"

He pointed at Alicia, who's breath was quickening with rage, her eyes glaring.

"Look at you, Entierro-Testarossa. I killed your master sheerly out of business. Just like Outer Heaven, huh? But you wanna use my guts for jump rope, I can tell. How's that for your perfect universe with 'pure souls', huh?"

"You're not with Espada, and I know someone like you would never fit in the TSAB. Who's side are you on?" Fate spat.

Arnage sneered, "Like I said. The side that wins. Or, I should say, we've always won. We've been in control for so long, you people never realized it, you, denizens of Far-The-Earth."

"We?" Nanoha asked.

"I'm just the face for a third party, after all." Arnage shrugged, "One of our bigger priorities are to contain and control the spread of Al Hazred's fragments, particularly the more serious ones, like Outrage here."

Arnage accentuated that with a stamp of his foot on the steel underneath.

"I'm talking about, the most serious ones. Things like the Jewel Seeds and the Book of Darkness are just peanuts. Massacres of what? Thousands? Thousands of Millions? Hmph. But when someone discovers the name of a weapon that can just sneeze and turn the universe upside down, we're force to step out of the shadows to handle this personally. Like here, for example. Though of course, we try to keep it low brow, hence I'm the only one here. And I'm still one guy. Chasing after Outrage when I have to contend with three hundred odd freaks who are liable to do anything... it's pretty difficult. I can't just storm in and tear down the walls. So I gotta diver their attention. And coming in perfectly with this scheme are a pair of air headed blonds, too concerned about their little identity crisis to notice the bigger picture."

Fate snorted.

"Like I said. Pretty easy. All I need to do is deliver one blond to another, with some sweet promises, and voila, I have the entire TSAB coming down here, ready to rescue their girlfriend and top enforcer. And while everyone is fighting outside... heh, well, here we are. Nepotism's a bitch, huh?"

Something in Nanoha's mind clicked, and she exclaimed, realizing, "You're the one who sent us the location of this place, and that Fate-chan was here!"

"All this just to open a path to Outrage..." The enforcer added in a dark mutter.

Arnage took another breath from his inhaler, before grinning, "Well, we can't have the universe upending, after all the hard work we put into it. We're the one's taking care of the universe after all."

Alicia snarled, "What's that supposed to mean!?"

"Exactly what it means. You guys must have heard the abridged version of how Al Hazred was destroyed, right?"

"What are you trying to say, 'abridged version'? You mean there's more?" Nanoha asked harshly.

"There's a little hidden detail. When the humans left Al Hazred for better places, leaving that shattered planet behind, some whispers remained behind on that world. Pledging. Gnashing. Swearing. As long as they lived, they would never allow the catastrophe that ruined their home world, spread to the rest of the universe with the ships that left. Not while they still had some miracles up their sleeves to ensure the universe moves the way they wanted."

Arnage stuffed his hands into the pockets of his coat, grinning.

"And I am here, ensuring that the universe is the way we want it. Safe as it ever will be. Happy as it ever will be. Ignorant as it ever will be. All the people in it fat and stupid like sheep, unquestioningly going where we tell them where it's safe. After all, Valhalla, the Jade Palace, Mount Olympus? People always feel better when there's a pantheon of gods telling them what to do, and to put a ceiling over their heads to shield them from that harsh sky overhead."

"Are you saying you're a god, Arnage?" Fate snorted.

"Well, to be fair, the people at the very, very top well be called a god, the ones who have enough power to change the world. Or the universe. But me? I may be a smart ass, but I know it's a bit too soon to start saying I'm a god."

Arnage shrugged, before there was a twisted twinkle in his eye.

"But I can say with certainty that I work for them."

Nanoha shook her head, furious, "That's not right! You can't just say your the ones controlling the world! The TSAB-"

Arnage interrupted.

"-Was designed and manufactured by us as a dog leash for the universe. I have tea once a week with the woman who designed the basic architecture and hierarchy of the Time Space Administration Bureau."

"W-What!?"

"The TSAB grew extremely fast, and gained so much power in less than sixty years, right? Isn't that a bit convenient? In less than a century, a military power oversees most of the universe withs its benevolent hand, when most other empires might have wasted millenniums playing Command and Conquer. Oh, what's this? A big objective of theirs is... containing and controlling most Lost Logia that we otherwise consider too small for us to personally intervene with! Wow, that fills in a lot of holes in our Modus Operandi, right? After all, we are a hands-off group. Too distant for regular prayers to reach."

"You expect me to believe that, Arnage? Working for gods? You're just insane." Fate spat, while shifting the grip on her Zamber.

The psychic regarded Fate for a second, lips pursed, before chuckling. He raised his hands in defeat.

"Alright, you got me. I was bullshitting. We're just Outer Rim terrorists, looking for some nukes."

"Terrorists, huh..."

Everybody's attention turned to Phoenix, who laid Aaroniero's head down, before standing up limply.

"Terrorists. Gods. Whoever you are. All I know is that you're some cheap scum about to destroy Aaroniero Arleri-sama's dream... I'll send you back to your friends in pieces!"

The Espada's red eyes shot up, furrowed with rage, tears jumping off her cheek. Reaching for Ataúd, the smaller girl hefted the blade in both hands, brandishing it towards the psychic in black clothes and hat.

"You know, in an earlier part of my life, I had that line shouted at me at least once a week-"

He was cut off by a scream, and a ghost flying through the air towards him, her sword drawn behind her with both hands. Cog work spun harried with electricity and anger.

Fate realized with rising urgency that something horrible would happen. She shouted to her sister.

"Alicia! Wait! You don't know-!"

"ATAÚD!"

"**ROCIADA DEL RELÁMPAGO!"**

She disappeared at the speed of sound, before sound could reach her. The bolt of living lightning pin balled about the chamber, around a completely motionless Arnage, before dive bombing at his chest.

There was a crack of an explosion as extreme heat collided with a solid object, leaving a brightness that left Fate and Nanoha wincing and covering their eyes. As the glow reduced, they squinted as best they could, before gasping.

Phoenix struggled, trying to free her sword from the nest of interlocking blades that had erupted from Arnage's body, protecting him and trapping her weapon.

"What are you!? Die, damnit! DIE!" Alicia shrieked yanking on the grip as hard as she could..

"Me? That would be a long story. Yours is much simpler. You're just dead."

"ALICIA! GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

Those words were too late, too.

Fate and Nanoha watched on in helpless horror as they watched Phoenix Entierro shudder, before her back erupted with several purple blades, puncturing through effortlessly. Brilliant red seeped through at various points of her body, while Arnage lifted her upward with an arm sprouting razor sharp edges.

Phoenix choked, blood mixing with drool that poured from her mouth, reaching for the man below her, she shriekd as best she could, "Ar...nage...!"

"Don't worry, I'll think of you too, while you're gone."

A wider blade tore out of Alicia's back, leaving the ghost one final spasm, before her body fell limp.

There was a silence. Fate stared in disbelief.

She tried to run. Nanoha slammed into her, holding her by the waist.

"Let me go-! Alicia! ALICIA!"

"Fate-chan! Don't get near him!"

"I don't care! Let me...go!"

The two wrestled with their sheer emotions. The blades coming out of Phoenix's back retracted, leaving Arnage to hold the body by the collar of her dress. With the one hand, he absently tossed over the edge of Outrage, leaving her to drop out of sight, disappearing under the circumference of Outrage's sphere. Along with it went Ataúd, which Arnage pulled from his chest.

"That's half my problems dealt with..."

As her sister fell from her vision, Fate could do more than scream in rage, before her teeth clenched together, unable to feel anything more.

Nanoha glared at the psychic, "Arnage... I won't let you go."

"I know..." He sighed, "You're going to tell me I'm under arrest for murder and conspiracy and what not. You people have your jobs to do after all. Don't let your personal feelings in the way!"

"You...! You killed Alicia!"

"Woman, your mom's the one who killed her. I just shut her eyes properly. Anyways, it doesn't matter. I need to kill everybody here, anyways. Everybody."

"You're going to kill more people!? What do you want, Arnage!?"

"It's going to be very troublesome for my organization if we let people go who know about Outrage. That's too dangerous. Once the seed of thought is planted, eventually, somewhere, someone like Aaroniero will pop up, who just are tenacious bastards. No. I'm not even going to let the noun 'Outrage' escape this place. Outrage!"

**"****استجابة****."** The machine shuddered back to him.

"This is a code red. Prepare the burial program. Maximum range. Preservation priority is only Outrage."

"**واضاف يجب الاستماع إلى كلمة السر****."**

"أزمة قلبية." Arnage replied.

**"****أنا أقبل هذه المهمة****."**

Outrage shuddered, and the sphere stopped. The fake universe around the party collapsed, leaving them back in the large ceremonial hall of Catedral. Moments later, the supporting arch of the giant Device began to rotating, spinning like a top around the top pole of the bloody veined Outrage. Screen read outs flickered and blurred, and a audible noise filled the air, as if Outrage itself was a dying animal. Nanoha and Fate struggled for a second, regaining their balance as they rotated with the support, while Arnage remained rooted and immobile. Aaroniero's body did not bear such luck, and slid off the side in the rumbles of the reprogrammed machine, flopping into the abyss to meet his protege.

"Outrage right now is creating a dimensional fault in self defense." Arnage explained, "I'd give it twenty minutes, maybe, and then everything within a few kilometers will be falling into a big ass Imaginary Space. Big enough to swallow entire star ships, enough to make everybody disappear. In the end, Takamachi Nanoha, Fate Testarossa Harlaoun, Yagami Hayate, Chrono Harlaoun, Yuuno Scrya, everybody, will disappear in a freak accident. And the TSAB will call it a shame, and close the book. In the mean time, it's just the three of us."

"You really are insane!" Fate hoarsely raged, "You'll pull yourself into the Imaginary Space, too!?"

"Unlike you mages, the world won't end for me just because I can't fly. I know my way out. Do you?"

Arnage took several steps forwards. Bardiche's blade and Raising Heart's gold warhead jumped at his direction.

"Testarossa-Harlaoun, this is serious business for me. As you recall, the first time we met, I was just playing around. The second time, I was playing to win..."

He stopped, and glared at them out from under the brim of his hat.

"...This time, I'm not playing at all. Here I come."

* * *

**  
**Paper thin tendrils poured from his back. Digging into the ground by points, Arnage was shot into the air, riding a growing torrent of razor sharp edges that was sprouting behind and the front of his body. He dived towards the duo in front of him

Fate drew her sword back, baring her teeth, and prepared to meet him head on, doses of fury pulsing through her veins and into her brain.

"Bardiche! Jet Zamb-"

Nanoha would have none of this ridiculous butting of heads. Before Fate could finish her command, she found herself white sleeved arms grabbing her by the waist, and dragged high up above the out of control Device from Al Hazred. The Arnage river crashed into their previous location, leaving tendrils spilling and whipping about like a semi conscious creature.

"Nanoha!? What are you doing!?"

To answer her, Nanoha drew herself face to face with her, frowning, "Fate-chan! I know you don't want to hear this, but you need to calm down!"

"Nanoha! How can you say that at his time... he killed my sister! I'm going to...! I'm not letting him...!"

A hand squeezed Fate's shoulder, the extra sensation cutting through her world that consisted of red eyed rage. She found herself looking back an Nanoha, who spoke with a dead gravity.

"Fate-chan... neither of us are going to let him get away with killing and hurting. But I need to know if I can rely on you to work with me. And I need you to be calm enough to tell me what his capabilities are if you fought him before-"

It was Fate's turn to grab Nanoha and blink away with her Sonic form, after looking past her friend's shoulder and gasping. Several purple spears crashed into the blue lit walls of the hub chamber, pinning up only after images of the two mages.

Arnage snorted, and retracted his blades, and looked about for his quarry.

In a blind spot of Outrage's circumference, the two mage's were temporarily hidden.

"Fate-chan, are you alright...?" Nanoha whispered, keeping her aim on Raising Heart upward, in case Arnage swooped from over top. Fate had her back against Outrage, panting with the tension running through her body.

"No... I'm still angry... but you're right Nanoha. I can't lose my head now. That would give him the advantage..."

"Don't worry. We're going to beat him. Full power."

The two traded nods of understanding.

"Be careful, Nanoha."

"What can else can he do?"

Fate looked up to where Arnage was, "Not much more than what you can see, but he's still incredibly strong. That ability of his isn't magical. Some kind of mentally controlled, physical type weapon... there doesn't seem to be any limit to those blades. It's his defense and all both at once."

"There has to be some weakness to him...!"

The room shuddered violently. As Nanoha and Fate shook with the vibrating air, they looked down.

Below, where was the pristine stone flooring of Catedral began to splinter and crack. Smaller chunks in the center were vacuumed downwards, revealing a dimensional sea composed of roiling sickly yellow and purple colors shifting about.

A spreading Imaginary Space. The clock was ticking.

"We need a way to deactivate this machine before it makes the Imaginary Space any bigger...!" Fate frowned.

"Fine. We'll just beat that answer out of him, too...!" Nanoha simply replied.

Arnage's voice cut in, "Ah-ha! Found you hags!"

Both mage's heads twisted to see the psychic, who had used his many appendages to affix himself to the inside of the twirling supporting arch of Outrage, and was moving towards them. A wall of impaling spike spat out towards them from all over the surface of the psychic.

Fate instinctively brought up her shield, which was large enough to cover the two of them. The mass of blades collided with her, pushing them backwards into the open air. Nanoha was already on the ball as she hid behind Fate, and used her friend's shoulder to steady her Device's aim, while several Cartridges fired out from the chamber.__

"Divine Buster! SHOOT!"

Fate called off her shield in time for a giant stream of pink bombardment magic to counteract the tide of purple psychic energy, individual strands of blade being deflected off course and whipping away, while the Buster continued to power through the pillar of edges towards its source.

Arnage swore to himself. Before the blast could hit him entirely, the coils of his mind quickly retreated to him, winding about himself in a prickly, protective cocoon. The resulting explosion sent the psychic tumbling into the free air, before several tendrils flung themselves outward, attaching themselves into the walls and ceiling at various points, suspending the cocoon in mid air.

The psychic shell seamlessly parted, revealing Arnage with folded arms, frowning from underneath his hat.

"Now that was interesting... that kind of power isn't seen very often... I might actually have to care about the formation and density of my attack for once..." Arnage hummed to himself, before shouting, "Still! Takamachi! Testarossa-Harlaoun! How many of those precious bullets of yours do you have left!?"

Nanoha and Fate's unamused silence was reply enough.

"I thought so. Wasted all the good stuff fighting to my scripted epic final battle, huh? Now you have to be all economic, trying to work your way under my defense. Meanwhile...!"

Still suspended in his spiderweb, Arnage released several more paper thin tendrils sending them arcing wildly towards the two in some mock rendition of a mage's shooting spell.

Nanoha and Fate threw up their hands. In turn, their Devices chanted "Protection Powered" and "Defenser Plus", enveloping the two of them in spheres of protective magic of their personal color.

Arnage smirked.

All the tendrils suddenly changed course, and flew right past the two, much to their confusion, and once more remained in place, deeply entrenched in the walls. Both mages turned back in time to see Arnage dissipate his previous blade holds, and with his redirected projectiles, began to winch himself towards them rapidly, while a multitude more of his razor sharp mental limbs spilled out and twisted and twined around him, forming into a crude, but lethal shape.

Nanoha and Fate had no time to dodge, and so put everything into their barrier defenses, which was promptly rammed by a gigantic drill that scrapped past them and into the wall as well. The force of the crash sent more splinters running through the sides of the failing room. Large pieces of wall and rubble loosened from their perch, sent flying to the ground, which only served to break the floor up more, and expose more of the enlarging Imaginary Space.

The gyrating array of blades grated on both mage's defenses, sparks flying, while pushing them backwards, both now on opposite sides of the psychic massacre machine.

The drill blossomed outward, revealing Arnage, back plastered against the wall in the center of his razor sharp lotus.

Fate and Nanoha attacked again.

Arnage groaned, while motioning for several of his tendrils to rise up to intercept Fate's down swing that was raring to catch him on the back of the neck. The giant Zamber crashed against the growth of blades that formed a trough to meet it. With a growl of effort, Arnage forced Fate backwards, before tendrils spat out at her, forcing her to dodge away.

On Nanoha's side, within the same moments, she was shouting for Accel Shooter to Shoot. The some dozen of her missiles sent blitzing towards Arnage while his attention was momentarily cast in another direction.

It only took him to twist his head slightly to see her, before his own some dozen fired off in response, cleanly tracking after every Shot and cleaving them apart, while continuing after Nanoha. As the white mage rushed away, holding up her shield, the psychic continued to concentrate on her, his tendrils chasing intricately after the Bureau officer, who fluttered to and back, trying to escape.

The psychic might have continued hounding Nanoha, had it not been for Fate, who reappeared in his face, stabbing forth with her mighty magic sword.

Which Arnage caught in one purple edged palm. Several more edges sprouted out from behind his back as he chided.

"Do clones get stupider with age or something? How long will it take for you to learn that your new-age bullshit can't even possibly-"

That was when he realized around one of Fate's wrists rotated a wheel of symbols.

Bardiche's revolver chambers charged, _"PLASMA SMASHER."_

Fate threw away Arnage's grip on her blade, before throwing her glowing fist at his face, several more bands forming, "FIRE!"

The electrically charged beam tore point blank. Arnage grunted before he was piledrived through the wall and out the otherside with a blast explosive enough to detonate the surrounding stone violently. The explosion sent Fate gasping and spinning backwards, until a final flip righted her back onto her feet in mid air.

Nanoha dropped in, speaking with magic telepathy to ensure no one else could listen.

_(Fate-chan! You saved me!)_

Fate smiled momentarily before looking back at the smoking hole in the wall.

_(No problem. But he becoming a problem. And we're running out of time and Cartridges.)_

As if to remind them, the room rumbled again, while Imaginary Space became nearly all that could be seen down below, save the remaining edges of the floor that joined with the sides of the walls, and some odd gray islands here and there, floating in the putrid dimensional sea.  
_  
_Nanoha agreed, grimly, _(Arnage's weapon seems to move with his consciousness and reaction time. Even if his attention is divided between the two of us, he's still able to defend himself faster than we can act. Fighting at the speed of thought...)_

(We also need someway to deactivate Outrage. Destroying it with large amounts of magical energy in this situation might only cause a reaction with the current process that might make things worse. If Outrage can even be destroyed like that.)

Something strange in Arnage's words struck Nanoha suddenly, _(Wait, a minute, Fate-chan, what did he say just now? He said something about magic.)_

_(He called our magic 'new-age', and said it wouldn't work on him, for all the good that did.)_ Fate snorted at the hole in the wall, a testament to the enforcer's supposed "ineffectiveness".

_('New age'? That's what Solsaid when I fought him back in the mountains.)_

Fate then remembered something as well, _(When I fought Arnage before, he called his powers 'Old School'...)_

("Old"... "New"... is he referring to the difference between our magic and Al Hazred's?) Nanoha's eyes narrowed in thought.__

(Then perhaps a Lost Logia would be able to break through his defense...)

Nanoha balked and looked back at the self destructing Outrage.

_(The only Lost Logia here is THAT. There's no way we can shoot Arnage with that.)_

(Perhaps not...) Fate frowned, but then scrutinized the giant device more, until a flash of memory and inspiration hit her, _(But perhaps we can use the Jinki on him!)_

"Wait- what? Fate-chan! Wait!"

Nanoha chased after her friend, who rushed down to surface of the mechanical planetoid. There, the black enforcer looked around fervently, before noticing the presence of the eight large metal plates that were attached around the equator.

Nanoha was still confused, _(What do you mean, use the Jinki? Sol said that the Jinki are the Outrage when separate!)_

Fate shook her head, as she used her gloved fingers to inspect the edges of the one plate they were in front of, _(No, the Outrage was built in eight pieces to begin with, but Aaronerio Arleri said they were system processors for the Outrage as a whole. That means they might be still intact inside this machine. If we can remove even one, it might give us a weapon to fight Arnage and slow down Outrage's systems!)_

"Is this going to work!?"

Fate's response was interrupted by the sounds of slashing and slicing. Turning their heads to the side, the looked towards the source of the sound.

Along one pristine wall, the tips of several purple blades were poking through, sliding effortlessly through the rocky surface to cut apart an entrance for their owner.

"He's not giving us time to second guess." Fate muttered darkly.

"Fate-chan. You break that open. I still have enough Cartridges, I'll keep him busy."

The enforcer looked displeased at that decision, but there was little choice she had in the matter at the moment.

"Fine... be careful. Badiche!"

_"YES, SIR. SPIRTE ZAMBER." _With that, Fate drove her sword tip first into the steel plate, releasing a flash of energy as inherent Al Hazredian magics slowly diffused and steadily resisted Bardiche's intruding edge.

Nanoha nodded, before her turned to the wall, with absolute grim attention. Floating back to the top of Outrage, the white mage pointed her Intelligent at the crumbling wall.

"Raising Heart."

_"YES, MY MASTER. STARLIGHT BREAKER."_

Pink spare magics coalesced in front of Nanoha, as she aimed at the wall that finally broke apart in earnest, leaving chunks of stone to crash downwards, while clouds of dust filled the opening.

Nanoha snorted.

"I'm not going to fall for such a telegraphed arrival-!"

She spun about, her sphere of collected magic swinging with her on the tip of Raising Heart Excelion, until she aimed once more at the hole in the wall Arnage had originally fallen through._  
_  
"SHOOT!"

The Starlight Breaker rushed down the hole, filling it with bombardment magic that deafened the ears from the force of the blast.

When the smoke cleared, Arnage stood in the twice mangled rubble, blades unsheathing around him.

"Hmph, I guess it was too much to ask-"

He noticed Fate stabbing her sword in his master plan.

"-Fuck."

"Divine Buster! Shoot!"

Tendrils shot out of Arnage's back, and attached to the remains of the wall above him, hauling him upward rapidly to narrowly avoid the second smaller blast.

Nanoha followed her aim after the psychic critter that was making its way upward to the ceiling.

_I have to make this count!_

_"ACCEL SHOOTER."_

More of Nanoha's projectiles lanced out at Arnage on the wall. With the dexterous use of his multiple appendages, the psychic sneered and pivoted himself around several shots that harmless crashed into the wall.

At the same time Nanoha frowned, Fate shouted loudly in their minds.

_(I'm almost through! I can feel the plate giving way, now!)_

Nanoha didn't have time to cheer on though, and simply insisted on Raising Heart releasing more Accel Shots.

Before she could utter her magic word, though, the wall behind Arnage shattered into craters, as his tendrils shot him forward with such violence he was practically converted wholesale into a spring projectile, aimed right for the TSAB mage.

Nanoha choked, "S-SHOOT!"

The shots lanced out once more. The psychic merely blurred past them.

_Too fast...! I don't have time to turn the shots around...!_

What few Cartridges left went into defense.

_"PROTECTION POWERED._"

Arnage crashed downwards into the hemispherical barrier, sending them both colliding back onto the surface of Outrage's rotating supporting arch. On the ground, Arnage gained foothold for his feet, allowing him to roar and charge across Outrage, forward into the general defense, with both arms emitting blades from the wrist, and whatever else razor sharp released from his body. Nanoha's feet skidded backwards, her arms holding Raising Heart up protectively to maintain the thin wall between her and several forms of impalement, while she grunted with the effort.

"Nanoha!" Fate screamed in distress, before turning to her own task with urgency.

"Get the Jinki! That's all that matters!"

"That's your plan, huh!?" Arnage snarled, "I'll rip your innards out from your assholes before that even happens!"

_He's too close...! I need more room!_

"Raising Heart!"

_"BARRIER BURST!"_

The edges of the intervening magic barrier began to collect to the center of contact with Arnage.

"What the-!?"

The shield exploded in Arnage's face.

Nanoha coughed away the burning air and floated backwards, escaping the close quarters.

_Even if he shields himself from that, he still had to have been blown backwards enough to-_

Wind whistled in front of Nanoha's face. Raising Heart's shaft suddenly divided into clean halves.

The outer layer of her white Barrier Jacket broke apart into loose magic.

Her chest spat blood in a clean line.

"NANOHA!"

Fate's scream came faster than Nanoha's own sudden sensation of sheer pain. The rushing heat forced her to instinctively clutch at her wounds, her fingers still wrapped around the two pieces of her Device, while she bowed slightly, wheezing and clenching her teeth furiously.

In front of her, Arnage stood, unaffected in his wrapping of blades. More importantly, several of the tendrils, once more, had anchored themselves securely into Outrage, defeating Nanoha's intention. One of Arnage's arm blade dripped.

He bit off an annoyed mutter, "Tch, no way it could have been too shallow...! Fucking Barrier Jacket-!"

His blades swarmed about his right arm, turning the entire limb into a massive spinning spear head.

Fate turned to Bardiche, and pulled hard on her Device, frantic. Instead of her sword cleanly pulling out, now the plate decided to agree with her and slowly pry open finally, revealing the circuitry underneath.

"No...!"

Arnage drove forward at Nanoha, "Game over, witch!"

Nanoha, even with her profuse bleeding, and momentary weakness, wasn't about to let herself be finished so easily. With Raising Heart still in her hand, she threw her arms up, managing to call up a small Round Shield against Arnage's pointed weapon, releasing bright sparks. Regardless, the sheer ferocity of Arnage's blow sent her flying backward off Outrage. Tumbling helplessly and bleeding, Nanoha only stopped by crashing into one of the few remaining upright walls in the room, head lolling dazed as she slid downward.

"That's three of four down... but have to make sure..."

Purple weaved together in Arnage's fingers, until a large buzzsaw like contraption hissed round on this fingers. He swung back his arm, preparing to throw it like it was his Yo-yo toy.

"Off with her head...!"

As he was about to toss his new weapon, he heard a raging voice beside and below him.

"ARNAGE!"

He turned to see a solid steel wall, with hole melted through its center, flying in his direction. A light wave of his wrist rendered the flying sheet splintered into dozens of cleanly dissected metal shards.

Down below, Fate hissed and looked into the opening in Outrage. Within, fiber wires pulses quietly, and every surface had glowing circuitry built in. Nestled in nicely in a slot, bundled up in cables that read it like a disc, was the system processor. If one squinted, one could make out the faint shape of the pommel, made of blue and white steel...

One arm thrusting itself into the exposed machinery, Fate grasped the handle of the trapped Jinki and pulled as hard as she could. Even with all her strength, the smaller weapon would not budge.

_Please! Come loose! I need your help to...!_

Purple crawled downwards toward her. Fate was forced to dash back to avoid the mass of whipping blades that slid over the opening. However, Arnage didn't slow down. The mass merely clamped itself down onto the edge, before shooting the psychic outward, his arms all sharp and crashing against Fate's sword. The two struggled, the enforcer pushing back to hold Arnage at bay from continuing his push.

"You think I'm going to let you grab a Jinki that easily? Well, you're shit out of luck, Testarossa. The only road from here's the bad end."

"I won't let you win...! You hurt Nanoha!"

"Tch, you're so concerned about Takamachi... shouldn't you be more concerned about everybody else? Or are you just that gay?"

"You're heartless...! Are you even human?"

Arnage snorted, "Don't try to get gain the moral high ground in here of all places, Testarossa! I'm about as human as you are, which isn't VERY MUCH!"

Arnage opened his mouth wide, and Fate gasped. Twisting her head to the side, she barely avoided her face being stuck in by the thin blade that stabbed out from the psychic's gaping maw. In retaliation, Fate brought both her booted feet up and slammed them into Arnage's chest. Caught unaware, feet met real flesh, making him grunt in surprised pain, tumbling backwards. Fate meanwhile had used her kick to spring board off him into a somersault.

"Bardiche! Load Cartridge!"

The last round spun in place and fired off in the middle of her flip. As she swung back onto her feet, she swung with all her strength at the still off balance enemy, Bardiche roaring.

_"JET ZAMBER."_

This time, she completed her spell. The lightning edge crackled and shot forward, intending to give Arnage his own taste of the joys of impalment.

The over sized blade smashed into him head on, sending him back towards Outrage.

Fate continued to scream, insisting that her Jet Zamber continue pushing Arnage to the ends of the universe if it could have.  
_  
I can beat him! I won't lose! I hit him for real this time-!_

"Hmph. Still fighting like this is almost a sign of desperation."

Arnage was almost pushed back to his self destructing machine, when the the Zamber halted.

Fate's eyes widened.

The tip of the Zamber began to crack. Where it should have pierced Arnage's chest, the man merely pushed forward, before purple seeped out from under the his shirt and into the multiplying fractures of Fate's Device. With a roar of his own, the psychic restarted his charge down the same path of the Zamber that should have had him, his own edges formed together in a sharp edged funnel that plowed through and broke up Fate's sword.

When the two were nearly a mere arms length from each other, with hardly anything left belonging to Bardiche's magically produced edge, the psychic threw out one arm, and a spray of purple opened up in Fate's face. All she could do was tear her sword back and hold over her vitals, right hand on the handle, the left flush against the flat her sword in the vain hope that-

She slammed into the wall.

Pain.

Fate slammed her head back into the wall, eyes screwed shut and mouth agape but unable to voice the searing _Pain._

When she finally was able to bring herself back under some semblance of control, Fate looked down with one eye, trying to inspect the damage.

Tendrils of all angles had driven through her legs. A few slid past Bardiche to score her sides. Luckily, most had managed to be stopped dead by Fate's last minute maneuver, tips sunk into the side of the sword that was now pushed against her chest. Her right arm managed to escape mainly unscathed but trapped in a bent position. Her left arm at points, however... even her left hand was impaled straight through, even from behind the Bardiche.

Fate heaved with pain and struggled in her pinned position. Crimson mixed in with her black suit.

Arnage watched with a dull face, eyes distant under his hat. Beside his outstretched hand, all over his upper body, protruded the blades that held Fate in place.

"Wow. You're still trying to fight? I understand there's a bit of dignity in burning out, rather than fading away... but this makes you look like a drowning hamster."

"Arn...age...!"

"I know. How's it feel? This is the point where the hopes of you and all your friends make or break it... but you're entirely powerless now..."

Fate glared, but indeed, helplessly. Arnage took the opportunity to reach into his coat, before sucking on the inhaler again, aerosol painkillers doing their work. He gave it a playful wave.

"Well, at least die knowing that Midchilda sells some really efficient medicine these days. I wouldn't know where I'd be if it weren't for people from Far-The-Earth, like you!"

The blades in Bardiche jerked, preparing to push all the way through and into Fate.

_This... this is it..._

"Ciao, Testarossa-"

Lighting stuck Arnage. Only a last minute glimpse and a slash from a hastily formed arm blade let the bolt explode next to him, rather than on him.

Fate's eyes widened in shock. Arnage was too busy swearing and coughing his way through the smoke.

"What the fucking-where did that come-"

Another one swooped in, through the smoke, this time smashing into the psychic's face violently, leaving him spluttering and without concentration.

All the blades dissipated, letting Arnage fall from the air. The ones holding Fate to the wall likewise broke into disappearing mist, letting her unsteadily hold herself in flight, bleeding and gasping, clutching her sides.

"Fate!"

Fate heard her own younger voice. Shocked, she followed the voice.

Rising upwards was her own face, but dressed in red and white, rather than red and black.

"A-Alicia...!?"

Fate's original slowed until they were both at the same altitude, "Did I get him?"

The enforcer's mouth moved up and down, before finally getting the order right, "...I don't think so... his defense is... but I saw... your body!"

Alicia looked down at herself, narrowing her eyes at her wounds, "I'm surprised too... but I guess I really am supported only by the magic coming from Ataúd... I'm really already dead-"

Fate already had thrown herself onto her, shivering, "Thank god... you're not..."

The Espada was momentarily stunned, being held so fiercely, but she didn't fight back. Not immediately, anyways. The moment called for some common sense. Alica broke off the embrace.

"Fate, I'm not perfectly fine."

"What?"

"I can only move my left arm."

The right sleeve was stained heavily in blood. Fate frowned as well, understanding.

"Ah."

"And we still have to finish him off." Alicia looked downwards, to where Arnage fell, but it was difficult to make out the man from the Imaginary Space.

Fate remembered.

"The Jinki! Alicia! Quickly! While we still have time."

Alicia followed Fate back to the exposed section, where the Jinki was still trapped inside. Switching her cleaved Bardiche over to her injured hand, Fate gripped the inside with her still viable hand, trying to pull. It hardly budged.

"Fate, you can't pull it out with just one hand!"

Sheathing Ataúd on her back, Alicia slid in beside the TSAB mage, her own hand clasping around Fate's._  
_  
The two pulled together.

"Alicia..."

"What?"

Fate found it hard to find the words, between fighting for her life, pulling out the processor, and finally able to talk to her... "F-From before..."

"Before?"

"The floor broke."

"That?"

The two continued to tug.

"Alicia... can you be... can you agree...?"

The smaller girl was silent. Fate didn't hurry here, as they pried with their arms.

"Fate... I don't know enough about you to start being a sister..."

"We don't have to begin knowing everything."

"We come from such different places... I don't know about the future, Fate..."

"Neither do I."

Alicia smiled to herself, "So, let's try not to rush things. For now, for the present, we have someone to defeat!"

Fate nodded, "We have people to protect."

"Therefore, pull-!"

With that, two sisters gave their one final grunt of effort, and pulled with all their strength. Slowly, but surely, soft wires broke loose, and more of the Jinki revealed itself, it's magic steel, little bolts of blue jumping forth and conducting with everything it could, scorching everything in the immediate position.

"PULL!"

The Thunderseal broke loose, and released itself from Outrage into their hands. Two separate hands held the handle and raised the sword above their heads, achieving their prize. The Thunderseal roared its blue lightning, pulling on both Fate and Alicia's magic uncontrollably, while the soothing coolness like rain flooded back in.

"This is the power of a Jinki...!? It needs this much from us...?" Alicia could only utter, awed.

"This is the power Kiske and Badguy had control by themselves... a portion of Outrage from the world of Al Hazred..."

The Thunderseal was in their hands. The two immediately knew what to do.

"Ataúd! The countdown! Full speed! Give this thing as much spare magic as you can!"

**"SÍ, AMO! CONQUISTA DEL RELOJ!"** The Engine Device bellowed. The first of the Gears began to spin.

"Bardiche! Control the magic on this thing! It doesn't have an AI!"

_"YES, SIR. MEDIATING ALL LINKER FEEDS."_ The Intelligent Device growled, with a gleam passing across its gem.

The remaining ground exploded, sending a massive serpentine mass of blades worming upwards though the air towards the pair.

"Here he comes, Fate!"

"I got it!"

_"HAKEN SLASH."_

"First Gear!"

**"RESURRECCIÓN!"**

Two magics flowed into the same sword, making the electric blue momentarily burn even more furiously, as the two blond magicians swung downward, releasing a crescent arc of lightning that smashed into the winding snake, perfectly diving through the middle, dividing it in two.

As the two halves dissipated, Arnage flung himself outward, spare tendrils flying up the ceiling to hold him secure. Half his face was covered in blades that were slowly receding, a tribute to Alicia's close hit. He frowned.

"Hmph... I should have thought the whole 'undead' thing about Alicia more... I should have known she was a classic zombie... this time I'll be sure to cut her and box her...!"

"Arnage, I won't let you say such things anymore!" Fate spat.

"You're going to pay for Aaroniero-sama!" Alicia harshly added.

"And Nanoha!"

Arnage glared, "You think you're better with the Thunderseal? It's still only ONE SWORD!"

With that the psychic threw out his arms, more of his edged projectiles rushing towards the two sisters.

Giving a determined cry together, they swept the air in front of them, breaking apart every blade in a wall of lightning.

Arnage eyes widened, before he gave a snarl, releasing more blades than he hoped they could see, flying in from all directions.

_"SONIC MOVE."  
__  
_**"ASCENSIÓN."**

The blades crashed together, hitting nothing between. In the same instant, Arnage felt himself fall, tendrils holding him to the ceiling slashed apart. Frustration began to claw at his brain.

"This is bullshit! I'm not going to lose now!"

He flung out his arms around him, and purple blades spat out from his body at all angles, pinning themselves all over the remaining was and clenching onto Outrage.

Several of them instantly broke apart. Arnage sneered, his impromptu sonar working, as he twisted around towards the two, who blitzed towards him, Thunderseal leading.

More edges fired away. The two spat at the attack, knocking away several and pressing onwards around more.

"It's over, Arnage!" Alica screamed, "You tricks don't work anymore!"

The two closed in, forcing the psychic to call up blades on his arms to defend himself. Here, Thunderseal continued to slash away at the rapidly regenerating defenses, but every close strike on Arnage began to force him back, more and more defensive, unable to turn his fortunes around.

It was Fate's turn to sarcastically chide, "You told me yourself, Arnage! Back in the mountains! You never bothered perfecting your close quarters technique! It's going to be your downfall here!"

"FUCK YOU BOTH!"

Arnage's clawed hands came together at the palm, catching Thunderseal's white edge between. The blade trapped, Arnage leered.

"A half-dead clone from a half-baked military organization! A completely dead pet from a half-dead cult of cry babies... I'm hardly going to fall from a pair of fuck ups like you!"

Fate snorted, "Wrong, as of now, we're sisters."

Alica grinned, "And catching our sword is the worst mistake you could have made!"

Arnage's face twisted in confusion, before breaking into rage-

"BARDICHE!"

_"RISING FORCE."_

-Blades shooting from his chest, face, legs, arms, everything, towards them-__

"ATAÚD!"

**"PERFECCIÓN!"**

-lancing across the distance of the Thunderseal towards them-

Two voices screamed exactly alike:

"DESTROY!"

All the lightning on the blade at once turned from blue to a blinding white, disintegrating everything purple and psychic, breaking through all Arnage and summoned forth, and slamming into his chest, doubling him over, electrifying him.

"GLRAHGGH-"

It was no shooting spell, or bombardment magic. It was white lightning purging forward, rushing off the blade, filling the room with light, and carrying a truly injured Arnage away at several miles an hour.

He was flung, a living projectile, into Outrage's sphere. Hurtling and electrified with magic equal to the Al Hazredian Device, the veined surface held no defense, crumpling inwards pliantly. Arnage screamed as he crashed through vital circuitry.

Silence. Then the opposite side exploded in a blue of flame. Then another smaller explosion along the upper hemisphere.

The supporting arch slowed to a halt.

Outrage crashed to the ground, tilting over. One half began sinking inside the Imaginary Space. The other leaned against the wall, scraping metal against as it descended.

Something black and crumpled crawled out of the hole in Outrage with his hands. Sharp bits of metal dug into his body at all angles.

"Those bitches...! I'm going to use their heads for... golf balls...!"

A white sword stabbed itself at his face, stopping just shy of his nose. He sighed.

Fate glared, "It's over."

"Whether Fate arrests you, or I kill you... I promise neither will be short and sweet!" Alicia growled.

Arnage groaned in deadpan, while he reached for a breath from his inhaler.

"Wow. Well played, you two. Very heroic. But you two are already too late. Even if Outrage doesn't drag us all in violently, the Imaginary Space I have here is already self-sustaining to at least suck up all of Catedral. So I'll go with door three-"

Tendrils shot out of Arnage's back. Slashing away at the wall, Outrage collapsed into the dimensional dislocation. Fate and Alicia jumped away, back into the air, while Arnage grinned and fell into the abyss, along with crippled Outrage.

"Enjoy your medals, bitches! In the end, I still got Outrage and destroyed Espada!"

Alica realized he was right, and thus screamed at him, "Arnage!"

"Alicia, wait!"

This time Fate did catch her sister before she dove in after the psychic. The two of them watched Arnage's grin and pointed middle finger disappear into nothingness.

* * *

The shaking began to worsen.

Alicia and Fate didn't pay immediate notice. For a few moments, they stood by Aaroniero Arleri's still body, floating on a small island that had yet to completely succumb to the gravitational forces of the dimension below.

Alicia dropped to her knees.

"...I ruined everything. I'm sorry, Aaroniero-sama... I killed you..."

"Alicia... it wasn't your fault."

"I know... but some of the responsibility still falls on me, I think."

Fate wasn't sure what to say.

Just then, Hayate's voice piqued up in her mind.

_(Everybody hearing this! Can you hear me!?)_

Fate turned around, looking upward with surprise. It was more out of reflex than expectation of appearance.

_(Hayate!? Where've you been!? This is Fate! I could have used your help a while back!)_

(Sorry! We ran into a huge fight ourselves. By the time we fixed ourselves up, the place around us started to fall apart. It was confusing enough to try and navigate before, but it's a nightmare right now! What's going on!?)

(There's three of us here! We're all hurt bad! I can't find Nanoha, either! There's a huge Imaginary Space eating up this place. Hayate! Tell everybody who's with you to get out of there NOW!)

(Fine! But I'm coming in to get you guys!)

(Home in on this position then! Get here!)

(Over and out!)

Fate gently shook Alicia's shoulder, rousing her to her feet.

"Alicia. Come on. We need to get find Nanoha and leave here."

Fate tugged at her elder sister's hand. Alicia nearly followed into the air with her, but suddenly stopped.

Fate felt a fear rise in her chest, "Alicia...?"

Alicia looked away, "F-Fate... I can't go with you..."

Fate floated back to the ground, "Why...?"

"I can't go yet... I can't leave Aaroniero-sama yet..."

"Alicia... please... we can bring his body with us... don't sacrifice your life, too!"

The smaller girl frowned upward, "I'm not! But it's not the right time yet. I can't just go with you now."

"Why!? Alicia, we're sisters...! Is it because we're TSAB? They won't mind you! Nanoha wouldn't mind, Hayate or the Wolkenritter wouldn't mind! Mother and Chrono would want to meet you-!"

"If you say so, I'm sure they won't..."

"Then-!"

"Fate... I'm your sister, and this moment, we're together... but I'm still Espada. I can't leave that. I can't leave Aaroniero-sama or his dream."

"Why...!?"

Fate feel to her own knees, clutching her sister.

"We finally met...! We finally don't hate each other... we fought together... we can begin to understand each other... I don't want you to go!"

Alicia's head bowed into her younger sister's shoulder, "I'm sorry, Fate. For a short time, I was able to be near you like this... but the circumstances are too complicated... now's not the right time."

"I don't want you to go..."

"I know... but I promise we'll meet again. The circumstances may pit us together or against each other because of what we believe in... but I promise, Fate... I won't hate you anymore..."

"Alicia..."

The ceiling fell in larger chunks than ever, breaking up the remainders of the floor. The island they were on broke apart. Aaroniero Arleri fell into the void. Alicia's own body began to fell, until Fate reached down, their lone arms clasping each other.

"Alicia! Don't go!"

"I have to, now. For your sake, too. Fate, your strong and gentle friends are waiting for you, too..."

"But... the Imaginary Space... you can't go down there!"

Alicia smirked, "Fate... I escaped once. I know I'll do it again. Until then..."

The hands slipped.

Alicia Phoenix Testarossa Entierro fell again.

"ALICIA!"

* * *

It was the strong reaction of bombardment magic that woke Nanoha up again. With half her face on the floor, she dazedly watched white beams pound an opening into chamber, revealing Hayate and the others.

Their ticket home had arrived.

Groaning and wincing, Nanoha sat up, pressing one hand against her bleeding chest, while her other hand held the operating end of Raising Heart.

"Raising Heart... you alright...?"

_"I CAN STILL FLY YOU, MY MASTER. WE NEED TO ESCAPE."_

"Don't need to say that again..."

Looking around, adrenaline began pumping into her system again, at the sight she took in. Catedral collapsing, no sign of Arnage or Outrage. Hayate in the distance shouting.

"Come on guys! Before this place goes!"

Nanoha tried to shake the remaining cobwebs from her brain, "R-Right... Raising Heart."

_"ACCEL FIN."_

The pink wings affixed themselves around her heels, letting Nanoha's little hop towards Hayate's exit turn into a steady glide.

"Where's Fate-chan...?"

It didn't take too long to see the familiar black speck of her friend.

Her friend looking downwards into the Imaginary Space with a fixed look of shock, her arm dangling.

Fate's sister nowhere to be found near her.

Nanoha immediately understood what had happened. Again.

_No..._

The white mage's eyes furrowed in grief, before tightening more into determination.

_But Fate-chan needs me now... and I will save her like before...!_

"Fate-chan!"

The enforcer looked up.

"Grab my hand! We need to go!"

Fate's face wrenched with a momentary indecision, fueled by pained, impulsive thoughts. But finally, her mind locked onto her sensibilities.

With a final despondent look downwards, Fate leapt upward towards her friend.

Their bloody gloved hands clasped.

* * *

There is no balance, or loss and profit. There are only things gained, and things lost.

**Final Duel: Aces High**

Spread your wings.

**LET'S ROCK!**

A/N: I would apologize for the slow update, but you would guys are going to hate me anyways.


	13. Aces High

A/N: G-Gear OP: "Sora Iro Days" By Shouko Nakagawa.

I'm sure a lot of us go to the TVtropes website for fun. Over there, there's a page for fanfiction recommendations. Naturally, the honor goes to my friend James Ray Edwards for his story "Mahou Shonen Enforcer Chrono". However, I feel a slight issue has been raised in regards to the differences in copyright. I've already given him full blessing and permission to use my Espada in his fic, but a "Rex Rox" on TV Tropes has accidentally mis-attributed the contribution as James' own idea.

Of course, James, it's not you fault at all.

I would just like to say for anybody who actually fulfills the prerequisites of having read James' fic, this fic, and went to that webpage on TV tropes, let it be known that I am the originator of the AU Nanoha-Espada idea, even if I'm not as famous or as talented in writing as James.

* * *

_In the end, the mages barely escaped the Espada stronghold, Catedral, as it collapsed on itself. Most of the TSAB officers outside when the collapse occurred were able to escape unscathed._

The ghosts of the Orden de la Espada Inútil got lost within the collapsing building. Several were captured by TSAB officers on site. Most remained unaccounted for, and it is unknown how many fell into the Dimensional Dislocation, and how many might have escaped. All that is know is that the Espada headquarters, Catedral is no more, due to a mole for an unknown party acting on the inside, setting off the Lost Logia in a manner that caused it to self destruct.

Of the eight Jinki and the Outrage itself, only one has been recovered, the Thunderseal.

The Lost Logia and the mysterious man, Arnage, both disappeared into the Imaginary Space. Descriptions of the man from Fate T. Harlaoun and Takamachi Nanoha matched with those of a known Operative for hire, who has been on the payroll for multiple Outer Rim organizations, such as the mafia "La Familia", and the terrorist organization "A World With No Boundaries". He had no real known name, just code names and aliases varying from one faction to another. A man stated in the bios to be of a mentally unstable nature, owing to a history of self-inflicted modification and drug abuse, even among publicized remarks from his employers.

It was decided that "Arnage"'s actions at Catedral amounted to nothing more than a delusional and self-glorified suicide. Therefore, it was deemed unnecessary to pursue any further investigation into the matter.

_With this, the first official Espada Case recorded by the TSAB came to a close._

* * *

**Final Duel: Aces High**

* * *

_In The Time That Follows After..._

The ring tone of a cellphone brought Takamachi Nanoha from complete blissful slumber to annoyed half-wakefulness. Underneath the covers of her bed, she hands fumbled to try and find and shut off the alarm function of her phone. It took her two attempts, one to push the phone over the edge, and again to finally reach down shut the phone off.

Nanoha grumbled something incomprehensible in her semi-consciousness.

The phone rang again. Another shuffle of derision, before the mage's bandaged hand reached out again to pull the phone back under the covers to hear.

"Whoooo...?"

_"Hello, Nanoha. It is Ky calling."_

Nanoha's face scrunched under the sheets "Wha...? Why're you calling me...? We're in the same house..."

_"I would not think it proper to enter the room of a under dressed, unmarried, sleeping woman, even if I have to wake you up."_

"...I guess... couldn't you just knock, though...?"

"_Knocking implies the desire to enter the room, which I do not, to begin with."_

Nanoha wondered if that was really the truth, but decided that was a debate for another time.

"So... what do you want, Ky...?"

_"I just need you to get ready. We have an appointment Miss Harlaoun soon."_

"Isn't that at two...?"

_"It's already twelve, Nanoha."_

Nanoha practically jumped out of bed, eyes widened in disbelief as she held the phone to her ear, "EH!?"

"_Yes, Good Afternoon."_

Ky, at least, was polite about it, while Nanoha struggled out of bed and into whatever she could deem proper for meeting a hospital patient, while fixing her hair into that side-up she was wearing it as more and more often. Her shirt came over her sore chest, which was still bound in medical wrapping. Even with healing spells, magic still couldn't substitute the healing process that had to follow through naturally afterwards.

Nanoha rushed out into the hallway to find Ky already standing outside, sword wrapped away in disguise at his side. He gave a small nod of greeting.

"Where's everyone else...?" Nanoha wondered aloud.

"Your family has already left to work at the cafe. Fate and the others might already be heading towards the hospital or be there already."

"Mom and Dad left me to sleep!? But I could have helped..." Nanoha whined, as they headed towards the front door and slipped into their shoes.

"Nanoha, just a few weeks ago, you nearly died saving the world. And again, from what I've been told," Ky shrugged as they departed the house towards the bus stop, "If you deserve, anything, it is a lot of sleep. Your wounds need to properly heal, too."

"I didn't get anything that bad..."

"That slash across your chest could have very well killed you. It's only because you had enchantments on your clothes at the time..."

Ky broke off into a sigh, Nanoha turned her head to him.

"What's wrong?"

"I am sorry I could not accompany you to that last battle. The Thunderseal is my responsibility, yet I had to remain behind while you and everyone else went ahead to stop Outrage."

Nanoha tried to dissuade him, "It wasn't your fault or anything...! We needed someone to look after Lindy after all! And... and it might have been dangerous for you without your sword! I mean... er..."

"It is alright. I just wish I could have helped more... I wish I could be stronger, so I can protect people as a real knight..." Ky seemed forlorn, before shaking his head free of thoughts, to Nanoha's small giggle, "I think too much about myself. Are you sure you're alright, Nanoha?"

Nanoha raised an arm with a balled fist in a sign of health, "I'm pretty much a hundred percent! No worries!"

"How about everyone else? It has been a while since the battle."

The TSAB mage hummed, trying to recall the news last, "I heard everyone was doing fine. Hayate-chan and Vita-chan and everyone was healing well, I heard that a friend of theirs was also getting better now. Chrono-kun and Yuuno-kun seem to be alright, too. Fate-chan..."

Nanoha's voice drifted off.

"What about Fate?" Ky prodded.

"Well... I think she's alright. Physically anyways..."

The "but" was left unsaid, as Nanoha could only allow herself to remember what happened after everyone escaped onto the _Claudia _right as Catedral collapsed and was promptly swallowed up by the Dimensional Dislocation.

* * *

_In the hanger of the ship, Fate fell to her knees at the enormous silence that followed in the wake of a seeming endlessness of escaping thundering, crumbling stone. Ky's sword fell from her hand, clattering to the ground. The noise caught Nanoha's attention, turning her around._

"Fate-chan...?" Nanoha cautiously asked.

_The enormous silence. The enormity of what had just transpired minutes ago._

"Alicia..."

Something squeezed her lungs and heart together into a painful mess, wrenching tears out of her eyes.

"She's... gone... Alicia... ALICIA!"

Her bloody gloves clawed at her face, while she sobbed freely, unable to do little more than wail the name of a family member taken from her again.

"Alicia... why...!?"

Her white garbed friend was immediately upon her, falling to her knees as well to draw Fate close, letting her friend weep freely into her shoulder

"_Fate-chan, I'm sorry..."_

Nanoha couldn't do much other than apologize to her friend, for reasons she wasn't even quite sure of, but she wanted to, to keep holding her friend while she wailed on, her own tears falling for Fate, too.

* * *

The door to Room 695 in the hospital slid open from the outside, letting Nanoha and Ky slip into the room with cheerful or polite salutations.

"Hey guys, sorry if we're late!"

"Miss Harlaoun."

Along with Lindy, who was still confined to bed, Fate, Yuuno, and Hayate turned from what places they had in the small room. The scene was picturesque enough, everyone grinning healthily, as if they had not recently engaged in a battle for their lives. It seemed they hid their healing injuries under their clothes well enough. Lindy herself seemed to have had her cheer returned to her, with little more than a few band-aids on her head to show for what she had survived. The occupants of the room returned their greetings.

"We stopped by my cafe to get something. I'm not sure if it's allowed, but I still got a cake for everyone!" Nanoha grinned, raising a box in her hand.

"That's very sweet of you, Nanoha-chan!" Lindy gushed, "Fate, if it's not too much trouble..."

"No, no it isn't, mother..."

Fate walked to her friend, with a typical slight smile and a quiet "Nanoha", before relieving her of the boxed treat. Nanoha returned a (nervous) smile.

Sometimes it was hard to read Fate. How long had it been since she watched her own sister jump into the void after her master's dreams? It wasn't like Nanoha was expecting her friend to be still bawling her eyes out. Fate was stronger than that. But she was still also a sensitive person.

Was she really alright like this...?

Nanoha, regardless, didn't voice her concerns yet, instead chatting it up with Lindy, "Hey, where's Chrono-kun?"

"Oh, he couldn't stay for very long. His idea of being a loving son is to go right ahead and find someone who can fix our home. It's no problem. He's probably more comfortable doing it his way."

"Oh... alright. Where's everyone else?"

"Especially Mr. Badguy..." Ky couldn't help but dryly add. Callous Tyrants and Virtuous Knights didn't mix too well.

Yuuno answered, "He got bored. He's probably in the cafeteria."

Hayate also piped in, "My family's visiting that friend we met on the mission before this. He's also been recovering since the attack."

That seemed to amuse Nanoha, "It seems they've gotten along well with him. You think I'll get a chance to say hi?"

"Probably sooner than you think. I heard he was interested in seeing Midchildia." Hayate grinned.

* * *

"Ah, I am such a lucky man... to be treated so kindly by so many beautiful women in my final hours...!"

Anji gave a sigh of elation. Like Lindy, the man from Aklumar was granted his own private room to recuperate, his chest done up in sterilized linen wrapping and gauze. The man thus was currently holed up in the TSAB Navy's massive interstellar HQ. Anji preened while two women gathered about him.

"Don't be so melodramatic. This is just a check up, and you're hardly on the verge of death. Not anymore, anyways." Shamal gave her own sigh, but continued prodding Anji's chest with the stethoscope that was attached on the other end to her ears.

"A-ah..." Anji's smile shrank slightly, before turning to the other woman in hopes of encouragement, "And you...? Did you come for my wonderful company?"

Signum didn't bother looking up from the board set up between her stool and Anji's bed.

"You're the only one around here who's any challenge at Shougi." Was her curt response, along with pushing a tile forward.

Anji gave a baleful gasp, holding his head back, while keeping one eye open to look at the game, "Oohh, the company is chilly... am I to spend the rest of my life in bitter loneliness, my companionship being mere scraps of tragic artistry and poetry and stagecraft? Despair...! The possible future of frozen isolation has left me in... Vita!"

Anji switched to a joyous (and somewhat disconcerting) squeal at the sight of the smaller girl who came into the room.

"Yo, Anji. Still holding up?"

"Ah well, the most illustrious Shamal here insists I am not in my death throes, so I can't part life changing words of wisdom to my beloved ones, alas."

Vita snorted, "That's probably a good thing. I'd hate to learn whatever messed up advice you'd ever spew. By the way, I got you some fruit."

There was something mischievous going through Anji's face when he spied the Iron Knight motioning to an apple she had in one hand.

"Oh, oh, dear one, are you going to feed me?"

"...What?"

"Oh, please, like in the stories, sweet Vita! Peel and cut it into nice little pieces with toothpicks in them, and put them in my mouth, one by one-"

Vita's eyes widened in disgust, "You want me to what!?"

Shamal gave another helpless sigh.

"Oh, come now, after all we've been through? I figured this was the least you could do..." Anji gave a might sniff, before his eyes had this helpless pleading aura to them that was directed straight at Vita. She choked.

"H-hey...! I mean... look...!"

"Viiita... haven't we gotten so close...? I mean, we were nearly married-"

The apple was hurled into Anji's stomach. The man was left wincing, groaning, and gagging at the all natural projectile that was driven into his gut.

"Da...gh..."

"Vita! You shouldn't do that... what if that accidentally reopens a wound or something!" Shamal chided, though not very seriously. Naturally the smaller girl wasn't listening.

"Anji! If I hear that ever again, I'm seriously going to hurt you more than this! Cut fruit for you!? You should be glad I even brought the thing over! You eat your own damn apple!"

"H-Hai... dear..."

"...Are you really alright with this?"

Anji stopped his over acted quivering, and turned to look at Vita again, "What is?"

"I mean, losing the Zessen. We couldn't get them back. Are you really okay with it? How many years did you spend protecting it? Pretending to be someone else, living on a place like Aklumar... and those years are going to be wasted..."

Anji gave a slight smile, "I appreciate your concern. But honestly speaking, I did really hate that responsibility."

"You... you did?"

For some reason, even coming from Anji's mouth, the idea of shirking responsibility to that degree seemed rather alien.

"Of course, I knew what I had to do was important. It's been something my family was keeping safe for years, after all, like that funny knight-friend of your friend I've heard about. But I don't think lying would be prudent here. I'm really glad the Zessen and the dangerous things like it are gone now. I have a lot of life left in me, after all. And I'll be able to see the universe properly, now! The fun! The adventure! No more being trapped up in Aklumar for me!"

Vita seemed smug, "Heh, and I thought you said you stayed there because you were afraid the universe was going to explode from how glorious or whatever you are. Or are you really not that pretty, after all?"

That caught Anji off guard, leaving his mouth momentarily slack.

"Oh... oh, that wit, my dear..."

Vita openly laughed at that, cheerfully. Anji and the others in the room couldn't help but join in with their own grins.

"Yeah, you idiot, it would have been a shame if we had you stick you back there in that nowhere place." Vita smirked, "If you ever need me as a tour guide for Midchildia, don't hesitate to ask."

"Ah, I'm touched...!"

"Yeah, yeah. Now go eat that apple before I think I wasted it on you. See you later."

Anji laughed to himself as he wiped the red fruit against one sleeve, "I'll be eating, then..."

Signum moved another tile, "Check."

* * *

Sunset poured through the hallways of the hospital, and visiting hours were soon coming to a close. The others had broken up, their homes a bit further away, but Fate opted to hang around a bit longer, speaking a bit longer with her mother, as well as search for a particular person.

Fate hoped he at least had the manners to stay in the hospital. But that was probably wishful thinking. Regardless, she continued calling out.

"Sol? Sol?"

"Polo, Girl scout."

Fate turned into a small waiting room to her left, and found within her missing tyrant seated idly in a small waiting room, thumbing through another magazine boredly. Fate blinked.

"Pardon?"

"Polo." Sol repeated, looking up. Apparently the word didn't catch any recognition.

"Marco Polo? As in the game?"

"Sorry... I never heard of it."

"Hmph? You never heard of Marco Polo? Jesus, no wonder it took you forever to try and find me. I'm almost afraid to ask what kinda fucked up childhood you ever had that you don't know shit like Marco Polo."

Fate had to stop herself from frowning. Her childhood was very "fucked up", after all, in the brusque man's vocabulary.

"I didn't think you would be here. I heard you went to the Cafeteria."

"Food was trash down there. I'd probably be fuller eating smoke from cigs."

"Oh. Well... it's time to head home now, Sol."

"Sure, sure..." Sol muttered to himself, before slapping the magazine back onto the stack and following his hostess back to the house he had continued to shack up in, despite most of the living room being immolated.

As they walked back towards the bus stop in silence, Sol snorted.

"Something on your mind?"

Fate looked up, somewhat surprised at the query from Sol of all people, before her gaze became somewhat downcast.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I couldn't retrieve your sword."

"Hmph. Still hung up on that? You already told your mom and me the whole story already. I don't get why you have to apologize for getting your ass whipped trying saving the world like that."

"I... I just feel bad. I'm sure the Fireseal was important to you."

"Eh, no matter. Won't change the Himalayas that much."

"So you'll be going back there?"

"Hmph, I don't think I could stand this city for too long, anyways. Too goddamn pastel and happy."

"...Oh."

The conversation stumbled away into nothing for another while, until the two were standing at the bus stop, under the orange sky. That was when Sol suddenly asked:

"By the way..."

Fate looked up to her larger companion, "Yes?"

"You still remember that psychic guy you fought?"

The blond cursed under her breath, "How could I ever forget him...?"

"What was he like?"

"Like?"

"You know."

Fate sighed, "I don't know what to say... except he's the worst kind of person. He knows what to do exactly to make everyone hate him, and somehow he'll laugh, because it's his victory. He's not afraid of anyone or anything, because he wasn't afraid of dying, either."

"Heh, son of a bitch..."

Fate turned to Sol in surprise, "Did you know him...!?"

Sol shrugged, "Naw. He just sounds like douche bag version of someone I knew long ago."

"Really..."

"Yeah. Actually, you kinda remind me of someone else, too."

That surprised the enforcer, "Really?"

"Yeah... You kinda got the same face. Same eyes, too. She had a really soft heart, too. She liked playing nice, so it wasn't hard for her to get along with everyone, even that other guy."

"A man like Arnage...!?"

"Eh, well. He wasn't as much of a dick as the guy you know. Heh, those stupid days..."

"What happened to them?"

"...They're not around anymore."

"...Oh... I'm sorry."

Sol shrugged again, "Eh, stuff in the past. I wouldn't really worry about losing the Fireseal, girl scout. What's done is done. Besides, I've got a feeling..."

"A feeling?"

"Eh, just a hunch."

The conversation died again.

* * *

It was night. Fate laid on her back atop the roof of the apartment, and stared high up into the sky pocked with light. It was long after everyone else in her home had already fallen asleep, but she had opted to stay out so she could look up at the stars, and lose track of time.

"Alicia..."

And at night, when there was nothing left to think about, a part of her would start thinking back to the recent past.

Fate spied a pink glowing feather drop from the sky. She sighed.

"Nanoha."

There was a sound of a Barrier Jacket dissipating before Fate found Nanoha crouching by her in normal clothing.

"Hey, Fate-chan. I couldn't sleep much, again."

"That makes two."

So they watched the stars.

"Fate-chan...?"

"Yes?"

"...I don't know if it's alright if I should ask, now..."

"It's alright."

"You sure?"

"...Yes, I know you only ask because you care."

"...Are you really alright? About Alicia-chan, I mean."

Fate sat up, at that. Nanoha sat as well, so she could support her back against Fate's, leaving them only hearing their voices.

"I don't know... Alicia promised she would come back. I shouldn't feel sad... and I don't think I really do anymore, but..."

Nanoha kept listening with a hum.

"...Did she really have to do it? Throw herself in after Aaroniero... was he more important to her? I just wish... I just wanted her to stay."

"I don't know if it's the same. But before I met you, Fate-chan, I used to be left by myself a lot when I was younger. I understood that they were working hard to support the cafe while my dad was in the hospital, but still, they seemed spend more time there than they did with me. I mean, I understood, but it still hurt."

"It does sound similar."

The back of their heads touched, and they remained that way for a bit longer. Nanoha's hand accidentally found itself resting atop one of Fate's, but neither really bothered apologizing or moving it.

"I suppose all I can really do is wait, and hope she comes back."

"If she's anything like you Fate-chan, she'll definitely come back."

Fate didn't respond immediately, though Nanoha heard a discontent sniffle.

"...I still miss her."

"...Being alone sucks, doesn't it?"

"I'm glad I still have you, Nanoha."

"Me too."

* * *

Some weeks later, the big day had finally arrived. Ky Kiske the Thirteenth had finally contacted his family, reporting both his personal safety as well as that of the Thunderseal. His family replied about how the family mansion was already in the middle of being rebuilt, but it would be best if he returned as soon as possible.

And so, Ky Kiske, with Nanoha and Fate, stood in the airport, nary but feet away from the entrance to Departures.

The Frenchman stood in a fresh set of clothes, who his overcoat was the same aged thing that he had worn when he made his way into Uminari City in the first place. The Thunderseal remained hanging off his shoulder in a sealed case, covered in permits and permissions.

"I guess this is farewell, then." Was all Ky could admit.

"It's too bad about the kind of circumstances we met under, though." Fate couldn't help but muse. Ky waved the misfortune away.

"I believe there really was no other way we could have met. I'm not really sure I would have come all the way here, under my own volition." The young knight admitted.

"Yeah... but it was good we got to be friends, right?" Nanoha chirruped

Ky smiled, "Yes. Yes, a lot of good things came out of this. Well... I think I must go now. I must return home and pursue my training."

Nanoha's face scrunched slightly at that, "Hey, Ky?"

"Yes?"

"Just don't forget you're not alone, alright? I can understand the need to be stronger, but don't let things in the past keep you down, alright? It's not healthy to never look forward, after all."

"Don't worry. A knight betters himself not only to overcome old mistakes, but also to protect those who are important to him."

"Right!"

Fate raised her hand, "I hope we'll see each other again..."

Ky looked at the proffered limb, but rather than shake, he held it so that the back of the hand was visible to him, while reaching to hold Nanoha's as well in the same fashion.

"K-Ky...?"

Like a proper gentlemen from a faraway land, he brought his lips chastely onto the knuckles of each lady's hand. Fate and Nanoha's faces widened in shock and their faces rapidly heated up

"_Pouvons nous réunissons encore, mes dames."_

"What... What's that supposed to mean...!?" Fate managed to splutter. Nanoha would have asked, were she not too busy blushing furiously.

"If you remember to ask that question the next time we meet, I will most certainly remember to answer as well." A knight challenged, a slight twinkle in his eye.

There was a momentary look of confusion, before understanding passed through both the Instructor and the Enforcer's faces in a bright smile.

"It's a promise!"

"I'll remember, too."

With that, the young man stepped behind the gates towards awaiting aircraft to take people all over the world.

A teenage girl with a side-up ponytail grabbed her blonde friend by the hand.

"Come on! Maybe there's a window where we can see him take off!"

The two thus rushed off, and an hour later, the two cheerfully waved farewell in their imagination as they watched an Air France jet soar into the deep blue sky.

The sun continued to shine brightly that day.

* * *

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha: "Guilty Gear" - END**

* * *

**  
**...

...

...

**And, Afterwards...**

"You are now arriving at... Devil's Living Place... You are now arriving at... Devil's Living Place... the next stop is... Britannia Eleven..."

Arnage stepped off the empty train, a wrapped bundle hanging over his shoulder from one hand. The psychic took a breath from his inhaler and walked off the small train platform into the forest in front of him. The plant life before him formed a seemingly unbreakable wall of trees and shrub, of which there seemed no path into.

In spite of this, the psychic marched confidently across the short dirt path that terminated in front the dense growth. Instead of Arnage pitching head over heels on roots and branches, though, the thick foliage of all kind parted way for him, from the smallest weed to the largest tree, revealing a rustic stone path to lead the way. All plants bent away from the apparent welcome guest into this forest, letting the man walk unhindered under peaceful shade.

Someway into the journey, the dense wood finally broke into a small grove. Arnage looked up to the sky, giving a wane smile.

The same sky, all day, every day, never changing. Perfectly formed white clouds, cheerful baby blue atmosphere, and patches of sky missing in groups of squares, like an malformed computer simulation, leaving the black void of space to pour through in beams of nightlight instead of sunlight. The miracle atmosphere created in lieu of the original one that had been burned away a long time ago.

Regardless, the grove and garden grew to be perfectly picturesque: dewy grass, trees perfectly shaped to provide shade when required, a cool stream nearby, babbling over smooth stones. Everything one could have dreamed off, if you could ignore the complete lack of any living woodland creature, and the complete silence. Not even the buzz of a single gnat's wing.

Before Arnage was the back of a woman. She was quietly seated at a small outdoor table that came with a pair of chairs, all done in beautiful white steel that gnarled over itself in the design of ivy and vine. A small tea set had been set out, a combination design of white porcelain bound in wrought steel.

The woman herself was undoubtedly beautiful. She wore a black dress that clung to her frame, showing youth and health, while her exposed shoulders and collar upwards was all perfect cream skin. Her long hair stood out, a blue hue that was actually natural, the locks pulled together into two loops and tied with yellow ribbons.

The woman did not turn to greet Arnage, but simply called out.

"You've been gone a long time."

"Yo, Mother Justice." Arnage grinned, while he circled around the table to the spare seat.

The woman sighed and put down her book, "I wish you wouldn't call me that. I am not my mother."

"You didn't complain when we were deciding code names." Arnage chuckled, as he placed his parcel to one side of the table.

"I didn't know you were going to calling me that even here."

"Hey, I don't trust any place I'm in. There's always a chance someone is listening."

Another sigh.

"I guess there's no changing your mind. And I assume you wish for me to call you Fake Angel here, too?"

"Well, it matches, right? I am the emissary for us all." Arnage said, leaning back into his chair and crossing his legs in relaxation.

"You keep insisting you are the weakest of all of us, worthy only as a so-called emissary for the gods..." She muttered to herself, before smiling, "Still, I'm glad you're safe."

"I appreciate it. What's that you're reading?"

The woman looked at the large bound book in her hands, the cover of which was marked by a large gold cross, "Oh, this? Nosferatu lent it to me. She was surprised she found it in her library. It's a multi-volume epic. Quite long."

"Like the Mahabharata?"

"Like that, yes."

"What's it called?"

"The Tome of the Night Sky."

Arnage seemed to recall something about the familiar title, which left him tapping one cheek in contemplation, "Night Sky... Night Sky... Oh, yeah. You know you'll never get the full story out of that?"

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, Volume Seven was destroyed. Some piss-ass mages a while back went and screwed with it because it was a Lost Logia, used all the memory and character data in it to store... whatever shit they wanted. It's a real shame. A perfectly good story lost."

She shrugged, "Shame. Well, Nosferatu has the remaining Volumes, I believe. As long as I can read the ending, right?"

"Yeah, I guess."

She shut the book, and laid it on her lap, turning her red eyes to the wrapped object Arnage had put on the table, "Is that...?"

"Yeah, it's the Fireseal. Freddie didn't get a chance to get his sword back. I'll have arrange some channels through which he can find it again. Maybe Fifty Two can help... or Save Our Soul..."

"That's good to hear, though handle it carefully meanwhile, I don't want Uncle's sword accidentally burning down someplace here, because of something foolish like you bickering with Fire Shadow or Save Our Soul again... " The woman lectured while reaching forward to hold to teapot, pouring the dark contents out into two cups, while sliding the cream and sugar towards Arnage, who obliged himself to large amounts of both.

"Yes, Mooother Justice..."

The woman gave an indignant harrumph under her breath as she drank her own tea black, "So, are you going to report to me?"

Arnage cracked his neck, mumbling to himself as he tried to recall, "Well... mission was a complete success for the most part. We've got the Outrage now. I left it with Gray Witch and Doll House to dismantle. So there's one ancient thorn finally out of our asses."

"And the Espada?"

"Most of them were wiped out in a Dimensional Dislocation, along with their headquarters. Even if there are survivors, they're demoralized, decentralized, and far too few now. Give it a few years, and they'll probably all be gone, either of quitting of their own volition or they'll be finished off by the TSAB. Their kind won't bother us for a while."

"And what was not a success for the most part?"

"My plan didn't go off as precisely as I wanted. Two mages saw my face and still survived. So there's a possibility they'll come to know we really exist. Luckily it was only the two of them. Plus, there's all those profiles they built up of all my other aliases in the past. So it'll probably be a while before they convince themselves or others that we really exist. I could probably off them in the mean time-"

"Jeremiah."

That name caught Arnage's attention, and he found Mother Justice staring disparagingly at him, indeed like a parent frowning upon her delinquent child.

"I only asked for your report to hear your side of things. But I already know what happened."

"Asked help from Fifty Two again, huh..."

"There's one thing I'm disappointed in you with. You were really going to use over a thousand TSAB officers just for distraction, then kill them all without a second thought."

"That's what I was using them for, after all. You know our rules. The worst Lost Logia can't be known by anybody. I couldn't leave a thousand people going back home wondering what they were chasing. Some of them would have genuinely looked for answers." Arnage retorted, somewhat insulted.

"I didn't design the Bureau to be a convenient waste of human lives whenever you wished. We are hands off, Fake Angel. That's why the Bureau can support itself and make its own decision. They are our children, not our pawns." She coldly explained.

"Well, I always hated children, anyways." Arnage snorted, "Besides, say what you want about how you want to run the Bureau, but remember who asked me for help in this situation? You already had your chance to try and intervene in this situation by sending mages to Aklumar to capture the Zessen and then use channels to bring it all the way here, so that the Espada would never be able to complete Outrage. Then Paris happened. I remember the words you said to me exactly when you saw the Kiske estate burn to the ground:

"_Fake Angel, I won't stand those white wretches anymore. Go and destroy them with all the strength available to you. I will not suffer anybody who threatens my descendants. My children."_

" You're the one who told me to use whatever I had to make those fuckers pay for messing with your kids. And I used every trick I had to humiliate them completely. So, don't go acting like you love everybody. You may, but I know in the end, you're a mother. You love your kids more. So don't try and play at being a moralistic faggot now over a thousand numbers and faces we've never even met. The Bureau was made so we could be hands off and so they could look after themselves, yes, but we definitely do not care about those... humans..."

The woman returned with an even stare, "And what would you do? Kill thousands to save millions? Kill millions to save billions? In the end, your efficient measures to protect the universe will leave it a hollow, gaunt shell of your vision. Like an animal, it will end up gnawing on itself to survive, eventually dying, rather than feed from the hand that prefers to injure it."

Arnage snorted. The woman continued.

"And that is why we must look after the children of Far-The-Earth. Let it think it is its own being, meanwhile we stuff it so full of happiness that it will lie bloated, unmoving, and content. Let it never think of marching adventurously into the unknown where it may be destroyed, or be thin enough to look at itself and wonder what it is."

"So full of ambition." The psychic snorted, "I guess that's why I leave all the hard thinking and bureaucratic machination to the rest of you guys."

Mother Justice brought a cup of tea to her lips, and Arnage kept talking.

"Still, like you say, the children of Far-The-Earth thinks it's its own being. It doesn't matter what you or I do. Abuse it or stuff it like a thanksgiving turkey, it won't even recognize there's a hand doing any of it."

"But the one the hand belongs to, would. And what would we say when the miracles of our world finally escapes fully into the rest of the universe? By our own hands no less. At this rate, Arnage, you might as well have kept all of Outrage to yourself."

He groaned, leaning on the table with an elbow while he massaged on side of his head with two fingers, "You... you... You know what? Fuck. Never mind. We shouldn't argue like this, what's done is done."

"It seems like enough time has passed to change even you." Mother Justice murmured.

"Yeah, well, it seems like the only person who doesn't change is Nosferatu." Arnage snorted, while reaching to breath from his inhaler again.

"And Gray Witch."

"Eh, I just think she has a good poker face."

"...More tea?"

Arnage waved negative, picking up the bound Fireseal as well "Eh, I think I should head back to my place, anyways."

As Arnage moved to leave, the woman's voice stopped him again, "Fake Angel. There's one thing you haven't accounted for yet."

He turned back, "What?"

"You said only two people knew you. But I believe you forgot that Espada girl."

"What, Phoenix?"

"She fell in once before. She surely will escape again, and she knows you. You know what kinds of ambitions and monsters are spawned from hatred and revenge."

Arnage grinned to himself, "I'm hardly afraid of her. She, or Takamachi, or Testarossa-Harlaoun, they can try and oppose us all they want. In fact, I can't wait to see what stupid plots they can come up with. In the end, though, we're always the ones who out last them. We are the very fundamental law of this universe, after all."

"I hope you won't end up regretting that claim. You have a tendency to bite more than you can chew, even if you somehow manage to swallow it in the end."

Arnage walked off, waving behind his back, "Don't worry about it. We've got this in the bag."

_We are the gods of the universe. We are the ceiling that shields man from the sky... we determine the limit of mankind..._

* * *

**See You Next Time, "S-Saint".**

**KEEP ON ROCKING!**


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